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ETCHINGS OP A WHALING CRUISE, 



WITH NOTES OF A 



SOJOURN ON THE ISLAND OF ZANZIBAR. 



TO WHICH IS APPENDED A BRIEF 



HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERY, 



ITS PAST AND PRESENT CONDITION. 



BY J. ROSS BROWNE. 



ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS ON 
STE ELAND WOOD. 






NEW YORK: 

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 

82 CLIFF STREET. 

1846. 



M 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846 

By Harper & Brothers, 

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York 



PREFACE. 



Within a few years past, the condition of our merchant 
seamen has excited very general interest. It is gratifying 
to perceive that the efforts made in their behalf by the hu- 
mane and the liberal have been productive of the happiest 
results. Facilities for their moral and intellectual improve- 
ment are now within their reach ; attention is paid to their 
comfort ; the difference between oppression and discipline 
is beginning to be observed ; and cases of insubordination 
and mutiny will soon be comparatively of rare occurrence. 

While the laudable exertions of philanthropists have ef- 
fected so much for the happiness of that useful class of 
men, it is not a little singular that the abuses existing in the 
whale fishery are scarcely known beyond the limits of our 
northeastern coast. The subject is one of great moment, 
especially to the people of New England, who are largely 
interested in the whaling business, and who have ever 
manifested a warm regard for human rights. To them, 
the condition of seamen engaged in that service is a matter 
of too much importance to remain unheeded, when prop- 
erly understood. 

In submitting the following narrative to the public, I am 
actuated mainly by a desire to make my experience as 
useful to others as it has been to myself; and, by a faithful 
delineation of the service in which I spent so eventful a 
period of my life, to show in what manner the degraded 
condition of a portion of our fellow-creatures can be ame- 
liorated. 

I feel confident that there is much in the cruel and op- 



IV PREFACE. 

pressive abuses prevalent in the whale fishery to enlist 
public sympathy. There are now in active employment 
more than seven hundred whaling vessels belonging to the 
New England States, manned by nearly twenty thousand 
hardy and intrepid men. It is a reproach to the American 
people that, in this age of moral reform, the protecting arm 
of the law has not reached these daring adventurers. We 
are indebted to them for the extension of our commerce in 
foreign countries ; for valuable additions to our stock of 
knowledge; for all the benefits resulting from their discov- 
eries and researches in remote parts of the world ; and 
yet they are the most oppressed class of men in existence. 
History scarcely furnishes a parallel for the deeds of cru- 
elty committed upon them during their long and perilous 
voyages. 

The startling increase of crime in the whale fishery de- 
mands a remedy. Scarcely a vessel arrives in port that 
does not bring intelligence of a mutiny. Are the murder- 
ous wrongs which compel men to rise up and throw off the 
burden of oppression unworthy of notice? Will none 
make the attempt to arrest their fearful progress ? Such a 
state of things surely calls for investigation. My limited 
experience enables me to point out some of the causes of 
crime on the high seas. If it be possible to diminish them 
by more attention to the welfare and comfort of the crews, 
and to the punishment of masters, not only for positive acts 
of cruelty, but for morally degrading those under their 
command, justice certainly requires that the remedy should 
be speedily carried into effect. 

So far as relates to myself personally, I take this oppor- 
tunity of stating, that during the unpleasant term of my 
servitude before the mast, I was treated as well by the cap- 
tain and officers as they were capable of treating any com- 
mon sailor. The desire to revenge private wrongs, or 



PREFACE. V 

gratify malice, can not, therefore, be justly attributed to 
me. My design is simply to present to the public a faith- 
ful delineation of the life of a whaleman. In doing this, I 
deem it necessary that I should aim rather at the truth 
itself than at mere polish of style. A due regard to fidelity 
induces me to present the incidents and facts very nearly 
in. their original rude garb. I have no faith in softening or 
polishing stern realities. Let them go before the world 
with all the force of truthfulness ; and if they can effect 
nothing, the blame will not rest upon the narrator. I claim 
no higher credit than that of being an accurate reporter of 
passing events, with the privilege of commending what is 
right, and dissenting from what is wrong. I have suffered 
too much, not to feel the woes of others. Where reproof 
is merited, where injustice has been done, where human 
rights have been invaded, I shall ever lift up a deprecating 
voice. It is one of the glorious prerogatives of a freeman 
to denounce tyranny and injustice ; and no fear of exciting 
enmity shall deter me from exercising it. I have espoused 
the cause of seamen ; I have shown the flagrant abuses to 
which they are subject; I have exposed the cupidity of 
owners and the tyranny of masters ; and I do not expect 
to escape censure. No man ever enlisted in a good cause 
without making enemies. Truth is always offensive to 
those who have cause to fear it. If, therefore, there be 
any who may feel disposed to abuse me for exposing the 
wrongs of seamen, they may rest assured I prefer their 
censure to their praise. 

Mr. Richard H. Dana nas given, in his " Two Years be- 
fore the Mast,"* a faithful and graphic delineation of life 
in the merchant service. The thanks of every just man 
are due to him for his noble exertions in behalf of the suf- 
fering mariner. Previous to the publication of his work, 
little was known of the real hardships encountered by sail- 

* Harper's Family Library, No. 106. 



VI PREFACE. 

ors ; and to Mr. Dana may be attributed the moral revolu- 
tion which has since taken place in the merchant service. 
I should be very backward in presenting my narrative to 
the public, after the brilliant success of a work written under 
nearly the same circumstances, if it were not that each 
describes an entirely different service. The duties, treat- 
ment, mode of living, and every thing connected with the 
voyage of a whaleman, differ widely from those of the 
merchant sailor. I believe no one has yet attempted a full 
and continuous narrative of forecastle life in the whale fish- 
ery from actual experience as a hand before the mast. 

Having had no previous acquaintance with the topogra- 
phy of the islands visited in the course of our cruise, or the 
manners and customs of the inhabitants, and no books to 
which I could refer while at sea, I was obliged to rely 
chiefly upon my own observation ; so that the little which I 
may have added to what is already known of those islands 
must be taken in connection with the circumstances under 
which I obtained my information. It should be borne in 
mind that this is not designed as a work of reference for 
geographers and naturalists. I claim no higher rank for it 
than that of a mere chronicle of incidents and adventures. 

The notes of a sojourn On the Island of Zanzibar will, I 
trust, derive some interest from the fact that very little is 
known of that island and its inhabitants. Since the embas- 
sy to the courts of Siam and Muscat in 1832-3, but more 
especially since the visit of a vessel belonging to the Imaum 
of Muscat to this country a few years since, it has become 
customary to laud this Arabian potentate in the most ex- 
travagant terms of admiration. I have no disposition to 
detract from his high reputation ; but, at the same time, I 
must say, no living sovereign has been more universally 
misrepresented, both as regards character and power. I 
enjoyed, perhaps, a better opportunity of becoming ac- 



PREFACE. Vll 

quainted with the true character of the Imaum of Muscat, 
the extent of his dominions, and the condition of his sub- 
jects, than any of those writers who have described, in 
such glowing terms, the splendor of his court, his munifi- 
cence toward the American government, and his unlimited 
power over the islands near the eastern coast of Africa. 

I take pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to 
Mr. A. A. von Schmidt, the talented artist who has so ad- 
mirably executed the drawings. An intimate personal ac- 
quaintance with this gentleman for many years past in- 
duced me to show him my rough sketches taken during 
the voyage ; and, through his skill and kindness, I am now 
enabled to present them to the reader in a more perfect 
state, but with all the spirit and freshness of sketches from 
life. I am happy to perceive that his skillful pencil is not 
idle, having been called into requisition by the Honorable 
Edmund Burke, commissioner of patents. 

Though young in years, it has been my lot to encounter 
many of the vicissitudes of a wandering life. May I not 
be indulged, then, in the privilege of an adventurer — that 
of telling of dangers past in my own way? If I have 
dwelt at some length on the dark side of things, it will be 
admitted that I show a strong preference for the sunny 
side. It is no pleasure to me to harp upon the ordinary 
frailties of human nature. Indeed, I think I may be al- 
lowed to say, that 

" I own the good, while smarting with the ill, 
And love the world, with all its frailty, still." 

With these few remarks in the way of explanation, I 
submit my narrative to the indulgence of the public ; and 
if it should be the means of directing attention to the un- 
happy condition of that class with whom I was for a brief 
period of my life associated, I shall consider myself repaid 
for the trials and hardships of the past. J. R. B. 

Washington, D. C, July, 1846. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

A few Words of Introduction. — Life in Washington. — Castle-build- 
ing. — Plan of a grand Tour. — The Dignity of Office. — Departure 
from the Capital. — The Dutch Skipper. — Embarrassing Situation. 
— A New York whaling Agent. — Consigned to New Bedford. — 
An old Blubber Hunter's Experience .... Page 1 

CHAPTER II. 

A new Friend. — Examination by the Fitter. — A Sailor's Boarding- 
house.— Jolly Set of Whalemen. — Captain Bill Salt. — .Our first 
Lesson in Lunars. — A Song. — The Fitter's Kindness. — The 
Barque Styx and Owners. — Fine Promises. — Weigh Anchor. — 
Repentance .14 

CHAPTER III 

A Sketch of our Captain. — First Night at Sea. — Remedy for Sea- 
sickness. — The Calcutta Hole outdone. — Stormy Weather. — The 
Gulf Stream. — Reefing in a Gale. — Vain Regrets. — Rough Fare. 
— Voracity of the Portuguese 22 

CHAPTER IV. 

Trouble on Board. — Choking a Seaman. — All Hands called Aft. — A 
Scene in the Waist. — Laying down the Law. — Duplicity of the 
Owners. — Choosing Watches. — Preparations for the Whaling 
Ground. — Fatiguing Exercises 31 

CHAPTER V. 
Distressing Illness of my Friend. — His brutal Treatment. — Unfeel- 
ing Conduct of the Portuguese. — Their Ignorance. — Setting Boats' 
Crew Watches. — A Chase after Black-fish. — Evening Pastimes 39 



X CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VI. 
More Trouble on Board. — Cruelty toward a Seaman. — A School of 
Whales. — Prize alongside. — Remarks of the Down-Easter. — Cut- 
ting In and Trying Out. — Land ho ! — Peak of Pico. — Terceira. 
— Trading. — Character of the Islanders. — Scenery. — Adventure 
on the Island. — An unpleasant Predicament . . . Page 47 

CHAPTER VII. 

" A Gam." — Departure from Terceira. — Pico. — Island of Fayal. — 
Villa Orta. — Part with my Friend. — Landing the Sick. — Juggling 
for a Watch. — Departure from Fayal. — Gloomy Prospects 76 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Quarreling Aft. — A Row between the Captain and Mate. — Return 
to Fayal. — Annoyances. — Murderous Designs of the Cook. — Un- 
der Weigh for the Indian Ocean. — Monotony of the Passage. — 
Pastimes. — Canary Islands. — Horse Latitudes. — Grand Whale 
Chase. — Six Whales alongside. — Beautiful Effect of the Moon 104 

CHAPTER IX. 

Make the Cape de Verdes. — Isle of Sal. — Bonavista. — Isle of May. 
— Raising Breaches. — Leton's Rock. — Humor of the Cook. — Isle 
of St. Iago. — Porto Praya. — Bill Mann " Three Sheets in the 
Wind." — Bounty. — Its Effects upon the Crew. — A Sail. — British 
Convict Vessel 147 

CHAPTER X. 

Approach the Equator. — Sketch of an old Whaleman. — John Tabor's 
Ride — Sketches of the Crew. — Routine of Duty. — Standing Mast- 
heads. — Ship-keeping. — Signals . . . . . . 165 • 

CHAPTER XI. 

Cross the Equator. — Martin Vas Rocks. — Isle of Trinidad. — Bill 
Mann's Account of Governor Trinidad. — A large Albatross. — 
Right Whale Chase. — Christmas Day. — Off the Cape of Good 
Hope. — Tremendous Gale. — Condition of the Vessel. — Passage 
from the Cape to Madagascar. — Kill a Whale off Fort Dauphin. — 
Cape St. Mary. — St. Augustine's Bay. — Cruise in the Mozam- 
bique Channel.— A Fight.— Two Men Flogged . . .205 



CONTENTS. XI 

CHAPTER XII. 

Isle of Makumba. — Wood-cutting and Hot Weather. — Arrival at 
Bembatooka Bay. — Town of Majunga. — American Traders. — 
Natives. — Liberty Ashore. — Grand Dance. — Dinner at Mohammed 
Desharee's. — Quarrel between the Captain and Mate. — Great 
Fete in Honor of the Governor. — Ambolamboes and Sacklaves. — 

Departure from Madagascar Page 224 

• 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Cruelty to a Portuguese Boy. — Make the Comoro Isles. — Visit 
from the Sheik's Secretary. — Johanna. — Bay of Henzooanee. — 
Description of the Town. — Hozain and his Certificates. — Jack 
America. — Adventure with the Sheik. — Description of Syed Mo- 
hammed ..... 264 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Mohammedan at Prayer. — Beautiful Glen. — Upset in a Canoe. — 
Bull Fight. — Terrible Combat between the Down-Easter and the 
Bull. — Leave Johanna. — Exciting Whale Chase, and Capture of a 
Whale. — Trouble and Discontent. — Make Zanzibar. — Desertion 
of three Men. — Speech of the Captain. — Condition of the Crew 

283 

CHAPTER XV. 

Effects of ill Treatment. — Scene in the Forecastle. — Combination 
to refuse Duty. — A bad Predicament. — Revolt. — Dreadful Con- 
dition of Things on Board. — Appeal to the Consul. — Interview with 
him. — Exertions to find a Substitute. — Disappointment. — Sus- 
pense. — Hope. — Another Disappointment. — Bargain with a Quad- 
roon. — Swapping Places with a Negro. — Procure my Discharge. — 
A happy Release. — Good-by to the Styx .... 308 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Description of Zanzibar. — Imaum's Harem. — Castle Antiquities. — 
Inhabitants of N'Googa. — Sowhelian Customs. — Poetry. — Imaum's 
Palace. — Commercial Advantages of Zanzibar. — Treaties. — Aham- 
et Bin Harnees. — Rajab. — Exaggerations of Travelers. — Despotic 
Government. — Possessions of Syed Syed Bin Soultan. — Presents 
to his Highness. — Fate of the American Pleasure Boat . 328 



Xll CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Arabian Towns. — Topography of N'Googa. — Fatal Effects of the Cli- 
mate. — Unchristian Treatment of a Scotch Seaman. — Wretched 
Condition of the Natives. — Barbarous Treatment of Sailors. — The 
Sultan's Generosity toward the American People. — Directions for 
the Preservation of Health Page 357 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Superstitions of the Inhabitants. — Hassan and the Devil. — Jeram Bin 
Seva's Horror of Mesmerism. — The big Snake. — Funeral Cere- 
monies of the Sowhelians. — A Mohammedan's Aversion to Pork. 
— Death of a Portuguese Boy. — Character of the Arabs. — A Bri- 
dal Ceremony. — Marriage Law. — Sowhelian Dances. — The 
Coolies. — Jungle Dogs. — Death of a Shipmate. — Practicing Med- 
icine. — Auctions. — Sale of the Brig Bogota .... 384 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Gambling. — Horse-racing on the Nazee Moya. — Warlike Exercises. 
— Religious Customs. — Visit to the Interior of the Island. — An 
Oriental Scene. — Caravan. — Description of the Shambas. — Grand 
Dinner at Hadja Mouchad's. — Return to Town. — A Funeral 419 

CHAPTER XX. 

Arrival of a Brig from the Persian Gulf. — A Whaling Skipper — 
Suspense. — Arrangements for a Passage Home. — Departure from 
Zanzibar. — Passage round the Cape of Good Hope . . 444 

CHAPTER XXI. 
Make St. Helena. — Preparations to go Ashore. — Dinner at the Con- 
sul's. — White Ladies. — A Whaling Captain. — Love and Music. 
— Visit to Napoleon's Tomb. — Politeness of a Yamstock. — Anec- 
dote of a Frenchman. — Departure from St. Helena . . 450 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Sketch of a good Captain. — Amusements. — Dana's Narrative. — A 
pattern Husband.— Baffling Winds. — The Gulf Stream. — A Ves- 
sel abandoned. — Land Ho ! — The Captain's Wit.— Make Cape 
Cod Light-house. — Hospitality of the Citizens of Salem. — Bad 
News. — Arrival in Washington. — Visit to the West. — Changes. — 
Home and its Pleasures . 476 



CONTENTS. XU1 

CONCLUSION. 

Fate of my Comrades. — Narrative of the Sufferings of my Friend 

W . — Unparalleled Case of Cruelty. — Account of the Yankee 

Boy. — The Mockery of the Law — Injustice toward Seamen. — 
Review of the Voyage. — Reflections on the present Condition of 
the Whale Fishers. — Flogging, and its evil Effects. — Imperfec- 
tions of the United States Consular System. — Life of a Whale- 
man.— -Tyranny.— The End Page 484 



APPENDIX. 

Historical Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the European and 
American Whale Fisheries ...... Page 511 

Statistical Tables, showing the Number, Tonnage, and Value of the 
Vessels employed in the Whale Fishery belonging to the United 
States ; the Ports from which they sail ; the number of Seamen 
engaged in the Service ; Condition of the Whaling Business, includ- 
ing Imports and Exports of Oil, from 1838 to 1846 ; Articles used 
in constructing and fitting Vessels ; Duties on same, &c. . 533 
Extracts from the Speeches of Messrs. Grinnell, Rockwell, and 
Clayton, in reference to the present Condition of the American 

Whale Fishery 539 

Bounties 540 

Effects of a Protective Tariff .542 

Honolulu Friend — French, English, and American Whaling Inter- 
ests in the Pacific — Rules and Regulations respecting Seamen — 

Sandwich Islands . .543 

Beale's List of Cruising Grounds, with Observations . . 547 
Wilkes's Chapter on. the Whale Fishery . . . . 549 

Anatomical and Physiological description of the Sperm Whale, its 

Habits, &c 564 

Right Whale 572 

Fin-backed Whale . 572 

Species of Right Whale ••....... 573 

Hunter's Remarks on the Whale Tribe 573 

Inventions for Killing the Whale ...... 574 

Specimens of the Sowhelian Language ... . . 575 

Numerals . . 580 



ETCHINGS OF A WHALING CRUISE, 



WITH NOTES OF A SOJOURN ON 



THE ISLAND OF ZANZIBAR, ETC. 



ETCHINGS OF A WHALING CRUISE. 



CHAPTER I. 

A few Words of Introduction. — Life in Washington. — Castle-build- 
ing. — Plan of a grand Tour. — The Dignity of Office. — Departure 
from the Capital. — The Dutch Skipper. — Embarrassing Situation. 
— A New York whaling Agent. — Consigned to New Bedford. — 
An old Blubber Hunter's Experience. 

I deem it but fair that the reader should know the 
circumstances under which I commenced my career 
of adventure. There is nothing uncommon in them 
— nothing that I have the slightest reason to con- 
ceal ; and it is only because I believe the interest of 
a narrative of this kind depends, in a great measure, 
upon the previous pursuits and associations of the 
author, that I make any allusion to matters which 
would otherwise be of so little moment. 

When a man abandons all the enjoyments of civ- 
ilized life, signs away his freedom, and voluntarily 
brings trouble upon his own head, it may naturally 
be presumed that he has wise motives for doing so. 
I am not sure that this was precisely my case. If I 
had any motives for so unaccountable a course, they 
were merged in the vague but absorbing desire in- 
herent in me from early boyhood to see the world. 

A 



I STENOGRAPA1CAL AMBITION. 

I date the circumstances which led to my cruise 
as far back as 1838. In that year I performed a 
voyage in a trading-boat from Louisville to New 
Orleans. The incidents of a year's life on the Ohio 
and Mississippi Rivers gave me a thirst for adventure; 
and I resolved to gratify it with as little delay as 
possible. My design was somewhat ambitious. I 
was determined to travel as a gentleman of leisure ; 
though, to accomplish this object, it was necessary 
I should have means. In racking my brain to find 
a panacea for empty pockets, I could think of no 
profession in which it was likely I should have so 
little competition to contend against as that of stenog- 
rapher, from the fact that it requires more labor to 
become proficient in it than most other professions. 
Besides, I had a penchant for scribbling. I set to 
work at once, and studied Gurney's, Taylor's, and 
Gould's " hieroglyphics" with so much zeal, that at 
the expiration of about a year I was a mere hiero- 
glyphic myself. 

In November, 1841 — then in my nineteenth year 
— I left Kentucky for Washington City. The pros- 
pect before me was quite inspiring. I was about 
to see the great men of the nation assembled in 
council ; to hear, for the first time in my life, the 
tmilling eloquence of our great orators ; to be the 
humble medium of preserving some of their flights 
for future ages to admire ! What a glorious galaxy 
of intellectual light was soon to shed its rays upon 
my boyish mind ! 



GRAND TOUR PROJECTED. 3 

On my arrival in Washington, I was fortunate 
enough to procure a good situation as reporter in 
the Senate. A long session had just opened. Ac- 
cording to the nicest calculation, I thought myself 
(prospectively) in possession of at least six or eight 
hundred dollars ; and I spent my leisure hours lay- 
ing out the plan of my grand tour. First, I intend- 
ed visiting France. If I should find nothing very 
attractive in Havre or Paris, I would immediately 
proceed to Italy, see all the curiosities, and, after 
touching at various ports in the Mediterranean, cut 
across from Constantinople to Alexandria and Cai- 
ro, visit the Pyramids, take a flying trip across the 
Isthmus of Suez, and return by the Cape of Good 
Hope. All this I intended doing in an economical, 
though gentlemanly way. 

The prospect of being able to accomplish my 
wishes in so short a time encouraged me to diligent 
application. Not a moment of my time was mis- 
spent. I was really a model of industry. When 
my work was over, I hurried to the Library of Con- 
gress to study the history, geography, and literature 
of the places to be visited in my grand tour. In 
this way I passed many of my leisure hours with 
pleasure and profit. 

As the session advanced, much of my youthful en- 
thusiasm began to wear away. A nearer acquaint- 
ance with the distinguished political leaders by no 
means increased my respect for them. At first, I 
could not approach a great man without trembling. 



4 DISGUST AT WASHINGTON LIFE. 

I never felt ray utter insignificance till, with uncov- 
ered head and downcast eyes, I stood in the pres- 
ence of those renowned statesmen and orators whose 
names I had learned to revere. I was not so young, 
however, but that I could soon see into the hollow- 
ness of political distinction ; the small trickery prac- 
ticed in the struggle for power, the overbearing aris- 
tocracy of station, and the heartless and selfish in- 
trigues by which public men maintain their influ- 
ence. I became thoroughly disgusted with so much 
hypocrisy and bombast. It required no sage moni- 
tor to convince me that true patriotism does not 
prevail to a very astonishing extent in the hearts of 
those who make the most noise about it. The pro- 
fession I had chosen enabled me to see behind the 
scenes and study well the great machinery of gov- 
ernment, and I can not say that I saw a great deal to 
admire. 

Such life had no attractions for me. I looked 
forward with anxiety to the close of the session. 

There was one matter, about which I began to 
feel very uneasy — my contemplated visit to Europe. 
Where were the funds to come from? As yet, I 
had received from the sources upon which I had 
based my calculations barely enough to defray my 
expenses. Alas for my grand tour ! 

" The best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley." 

Among my acquaintances was a young man from 
Ohio, who had temporary employment in the Treas- 
ury Department. Gifted with a fine intellect, and 



GRAND TOUR TO BE MADE ON FOOT. 5 

of most accomplished and engaging manners, he was 
just such a person as I had often wished to have as 
a companion. We first met at a social soiree ; 
and in a very short time I found that he was a man 
after my own heart. A strong friendship sprang up 
between us. We visited together, disclosed our 
feelings and plans to each other, spent all our leisure 
hours in pleasant conversation, and resolved at length 
to travel together, if we could contrive some means 

to raise a sufficient sum. W , unfortunately, 

was poor like myself. 

The summer was now well advanced, and we 
agreed it should not close before our departure, even 
if we should be reduced to the necessity of perform- 
ing our grand tour on foot. The latter, it is true, 
was rather a rash determination, considering we were 
not gifted with the power of the Israelites, who 
walked across the Red Sea. For the purpose of 
enjoying our prospects without interruption, we 
spent every fine evening in the Capitol Garden, 
where, inspired by the moonlight, flowers, shrubber- 
ies, and murmuring fountains, we talked of the vari- 
ous surprising things we were going to do ; how we 
would fall in with some extraordinary chances during 
our travels, make our fortunes, marry a couple of 
Arabian princesses, and return home to enjoy our 
good luck in peace, and excite the envy and admira- 
tion of mankind with accounts of our brilliant ex- 
ploits. This was all very fine, and I hope it will 
not escape the reader's memory. 



O ROUTE DETERMINED. 

Near the close of the session, finding my expenses 
and profits were nearly balanced, I resolved to re- 
main no longer in Washington. My enthusiastic 
friend was ready to start with me at a moment's no- 
tice. Our minds were soon made up as to the route 
and means. We were to work our way to Europe, 
and, once there, depend upon our own wits for suc- 
cess in the pursuit of our object. We were very 
enthusiastic in the belief that energy and persever- 
ance would overcome all the obstacles that poverty 
might throw in our path. 

I well remember the night previous to our depart- 
ure. It was that of the 4th of July. After the usual 
ceremonies of the day, there was a grand exhibition 
of fire-works in the President's garden. A large 
concourse of citizens, visitors, members of Congress, 
and diplomatic characters, had assembled on the ter- 
race of the Capitol to witness the brilliant and im- 
posing scene. Some kind friend had circulated a 
report that we had received a commission from his 
excellency, Mr. Tyler, to arrange a matter of great 
national importance with the government of Portu- 
gal. The consequence was, that several of our dis- 
tant acquaintances, who had formerly recognized us 
with a stiff nod, now crowded around us, and bid us 
good-by in the kindest manner imaginable, wishing 
us a most cordial reception at the court of Donna 
Maria. 

Having procured passports at the State Depart- 
ment, we took our departure in the cars early on the 



AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN POCKET. 7 

morning of the 5th of July, 1842. As it was not 
probable we could find a vessel in Baltimore bound 
for Europe immediately, we continued on to Phila- 
delphia, where we spent a few days, and obtained 
some letters of introduction from a friend in the Cus- 
tom-house to distinguished gentlemen in different 
parts of Europe. Finding no encouragement in 
Philadelphia for tourists with slender means, we pro- 
ceeded to New York. 

Our joint purse on leaving Washington amounted 
to about forty dollars. Of course, we could not deny 
ourselves the gratification of visiting the various 
places of public amusement ; besides, being gentle- 
men up to that time, it was indispensable that we 
should patronize the best hotel, ride in an omnibus 
or hack whenever we did not feel disposed to walk, 
and be liberal with servants and porters. At the ex- 
piration of a few days, it alarmed us to find that we 
had but eight dollars left. 

Upon application for temporary employment, with 
a view to replenish our means, we learned that busi- 
ness was very dull, and young men were glad to 
avail themselves of the privilege of passing their time 
usefully in mercantile houses without remuneration ; 
a species of amusement not particularly adapted to 
our circumstances. With due humiliation, let it be 
told, we were soon reduced to the necessity either 
of writing to our friends for a remittance, or of being 
insulted with an invitation to depend upon the char- 
ity of casual acquaintances. The first was out of 



8 DUTCH SKIPrER. 

the question ; it would destroy our diplomatic rep- 
utation ; the last was too galling to our pride to be 
entertained for a moment. 

In this dilemma we strolled down to the shipping, 
and went on board a vessel bound for Bremen. The 
captain, a jolly-looking Dutchman, sat upon the 
companion way smoking his pipe, while he kept his 
eye upon some of the crew who were at work on 
the main deck. He received us very kindly, and 
gave us much information on the subject of sea- 
faring life. It would be a difficult matter, he said, 
for two young men dressed as we were to procure 
employment on board a merchantman as light hands ; 
but if we put off our " long togs," and went to work 
in a corn-field for about three months, to give us a 
hardy look, we might succeed. Where there were 
upward of four thousand seamen idling about the 
wharves, it would be no easy matter for "green 
landsmen" to make a voyage. On the whole, he 
gave us rather nn unfavorable idea of the life of a 
sailor, and advised us to try something else. He 
thought it a pity that young gentlemen of education 
should waste their time in a pursuit so little adapted 
to their physical strength. There were rough fel- 
lows enough in the world who could do that sort of 
work better than persons who had been delicately 
raised. 

The words of the kind-hearted old skipper made 
a deep impression upon our minds, and, if it were 
not for sheer shame, and the pressing nature of our 



PURSUIT OF A CHANCE. 9 

circumstances, we would have abandoned our ro- 
mantic notions at once. However, we felt that we 
were in for it, and it would not do to back out. 
W , who was a printer by trade, had made sev- 
eral applications at the printing-offices for employ- 
ment, but without success. Nothing, therefore, re- 
mained for us but the prospect of getting something 
to do on board a ship. It made no material differ- 
ence to us in what capacity we went; all we de- 
sired then was to take leave of New York. 

The rest of that day and part of the next we 
spent in making inquiries at the ship agencies along 
the wharves; but our appearance, combined with 
our anxiety to become sailors, excited suspicion, and 
the answers were so unsatisfactory that we began to 
despond. I noticed that the old tars, who were 
lounging in groups about these offices, smoking their 
pipes, and chatting in a nautical style of language 
totally incomprehensible to us, eyed us slyly, and 
winked at each other as we passed. In the course 
of a few months we very well understood what they 
meant. 

There was something of novelty in being thrown 
upon our own resources in a large city, without a 
single friend to whom we could look for aid. Still, 
as our money was spun out to a few dollars, it be- 
came necessary to leave off romancing, and bring 
our ideas down to the level of our circumstances. 

As we strolled along one of the wharves, casting 
wistful glances at the vessels close by, and now and 

B 



10 WANTED IMMEDIATELY. 

then taking a peep into the shipping-offices, our at- 
tention was attracted by a slip of paper over a door 
bearing the following important intelligence : 

" WANTED IMMEDIATELY ! ! ! 

" Six able-bodied landsmen, to go on a whaling 
voyage from New Bedford. Apply up stairs before 5 
o'clock P.M." 

This was somewhat encouraging. Indeed, we 
thought it peculiarly lucky. It suited us exactly. 
We stopped and read the words over half a dozen 
times, in order to satisfy ourselves that we were not 
mistaken as to their import. But here was the dif- 
ficulty : the notice said able-bodied landsmen. Were 
we of that description? We consulted the matter 
for some time, and at last came to the conclusion 
that light-bodied, active men, with a considerable 
share of spunk, ought to succeed as well as heavy- 
built men. We accordingly entered the office with 
a bold, independent air, as much as to say, we knew 
what we were about. An excessively polite old gen- 
tleman of prepossessing appearance received us with 
every manifestation of cordiality. In answer to our 
inquiries concerning his notice, he replied : 

"Yes, gentlemen, I want a few more men. Do 
you think of shipping V 

" Why, yes, we have some notion of it." 

" The very best thing you can do ; sorry you are 
not a little stouter ; but no matter, I think you'll an- 
swer the purpose. I just received a letter this morn- 



ELOQUENT AGENT. BOOKED FOR GOOD. 11 

ing from Mr. , the whaling agent in New Bed- 
ford, requesting me to send on two light, handsome 
fellows. He don't care so much about their weight, 
if they're good-looking ; wants them for a small ves- 
sel, you see, and likes to have a nice crew." 

" Well, you think we'll do V 

" Oh ! no doubt about it. I'm willing to risk you, 
though I may lose something by it. Whaling, gen- 
tlemen, is tolerably hard at first, but it's the finest 
business in the world for enterprising young men. 
If you are determined to take a voyage, I'll put you 
in the way of shipping in a most elegant vessel, well 
fitted : that's the great thing, well fitted. Vigilance 
and activity will insure you rapid promotion. I 
haven't the least doubt but you'll come home boat- 
steerers. I sent off six college students a few days 
ago, and a poor fellow who had been flogged away 
from home by a vicious wife. A whaler, gentle- 
men," continued the agent, rising in eloquence, " a 
whaler is a place of refuge for the distressed and 
persecuted, a school for the dissipated, an asylum 
for the needy ! There's nothing like it. You can 
see the world ; you can see something of life !" 

The enthusiastic advocate of whalers then hand- 
ed us a paper, which we immediately signed with- 
out reading, not wishing to give him time even to 
reflect upon his bargain. Promising to be at the 
office by half past four, we took leave of our worthy 
friend, and warmly congratulated each other upon 
having accidentally met with this benevolent old 



12 HURRY MYSELF TO NEW BEDFORD. 

gentleman, who not only smiled upon the indiscre- 
tions of youth, but forwarded all our plans, and seem- 
ed ready to oblige us in every way. From a man 
whom we had never seen before, all this was cer- 
tainly very gratifying. 

At five o'clock on the same evening we took a 
passage in the Cleopatra for Providence. In order 
that particular attention might be paid to our com- 
fort — as we supposed, but in reality to prevent our 
escape — we were consigned to an officer on board 
the boat. The agent, also, to enhance our enjoy- 
ment, sent with us a couple of entertaining fellows, 
rather rough to be sure, and not very respectable in 
their appearance, bound on the same delightful mis- 
sion. For all this we felt exceedingly grateful to 
our benevolent and venerable friend. It is true, we 
discovered after we got to sea that he had forwarded 
a bill of ten dollars to the New Bedford fitter, to be 
placed on our account with the owners. As we had 
sold one of our trunks, and some other unnecessary 
articles, the proceeds of which enabled us to pay our 
own expenses, we could not clearly see what this 
was for; but it occurred to us, after a great deal of 
deliberation, that it was a kind of bounty allowed 
by the city council to the agent for disposing of all 
vagrants who came within his reach, and that he had, 
through the force of habit, or in the confusion of his 
multifarious duties, mistaken us for persons of that 
description. 

On our passage to Providence, the steam-boat 



SALT ADVICE FROM THE LEE SIDE. 13 

touched at Newport, where one of our whalemen, 
who had made a raise of three dollars from the New 
York agent — in remembrance, he said, of a whaling 
voyage on which the old gentlemen had sent him a 
few years previously — privately notified us of his in- 
tention to " visit some of his friends up town." Not 
deeming the matter within our cognizance, we left 
him to pursue the bent of his inclination. We after- 
ward had occasion to admire the sagacity, though 
not the moral obliquity of this fellow. Before part- 
ing from him, he gave us his experience as a whale- 
man, and advised us not to be gulled by fair prom- 
ises. He said he knew a thing or two about it; 
that he would sooner be in the penitentiary any 
time ; and, if we had any regard for ourselves, we 
ought to turn our backs upon New Bedford, for it 
was the sink-hole of iniquity ; that the fitters were 
all blood-suckers, the owners cheats, and the cap- 
tains tyrants. 

This was another damper. The warning made a 
deep impression upon us, and we often thought of it 
when at sea. 

We arrived in New Bedford without suffering 
more than the usual wear and tear to which all arti- 
cles of traffick consigned from one sea-port town to 
another are subject. 



14 BENEVOLENT FITTER-OUT. 



CHAPTER II. 

A new Friend. — Examination by the Fitter. — A Sailor's Boarding- 
house. — Jolly set of Whalemen. — Captain Bill Salt. — Our first 
Lesson in Lunars. — A Song. — The Fitter's Kindness. — The 
Barque Styx and Owners. — Fine Promises. — "Weigh Anchor. — 
Repentance. 

I have not the conscience to pass over in silence 
the disinterested generosity of the New Bedford fit- 
ter. His benevolence surpassed even that of the 
amiable old gentlemen in New York. When we 
first presented ourselves for inspection, he was a lit- 
tle bluff, to be sure, but that was only one of his 
good-natured peculiarities. 

" Why," said he, surveying us with professional 
deliberation, "you are not the men I wrote for. I 
want stout, hard-fisted fellows, who ain't afraid to 
work. Such slim chaps as you won't do at all !" 

" That's rather hard, sir ; here we are without the 
means of getting back ; and now, after the New 
York agent telling us you would take us, you say we 
won't do." 

" What do I care about the New York agent ?" 
replied the fitter. " It's his own look-out, and yours, 
if he don't send proper men. I'm not bound to take 
you at all ; and I won't take you, if I don't like." 

" Well, you'll pay our expenses back, then ?" 

At this the fitter laughed very heartily. 



WEIGHED TO ORDER. 15 

" No, no, my good fellows ; can't do that. I see 
you don't understand this business. What do you 
weigh ?" 

We gave him our weight, but it did not seem to 
satisfy him exactly. He shook his head with a 
doubtful look, as much as to say he had no great re- 
spect for men who did not weigh considerably over 
our standard. He then punched us with his fist, 
shook us by the arms, and, after some farther experi- 
ments by way of testing our muscular powers, told 
us what there was of us was pretty good, " but there 
wasn't enough." Directing us next to walk up and 
down his long store-room, he planted himself against 
a pile of boxes, and watched our gait with the prac- 
ticed eye of a jockey about to make a speculation in 
horse-flesh. Apparently satisfied, he ventured the 
opinion that we might do ; at all events, he would 
exert his influence in our behalf with the owners/ 

A clerk who sat in the counting-room, blowing his 
very soul through a cracked fife, was then directed 

to show us to old Captain R r s boarding-house. 

Here we found a most jovial company ; not very se- 
lect, but remarkably free and easy. Among others, 
I recollect Red Sandy, Blue John, Long-legged Bill, 
Big -foot Jack, Chaw -o'- tobacco Jim, Handsome 
Tom, and one of our steam-boat acquaintances, who 
had already obtained the soubriquet of Bully Clinch- 
er ; besides four lively house-maids, whom the sailors 
called Mag, Moll, Bet, and Peg, and with whom 
they seemed to be on the most friendly terms. 



16 THE BOARDING-HOUSE. 

Our fellow-boarders, when the fact became known 
that we were about to go to sea, entertained them- 
selves with sundry jests at our expense, all of which 
we took with the utmost good humor. This com- 
pletely disarmed them. We were shrewd enough to 
suspect their object, which, as we afterward learn- 
ed, was to get us angry, and then, according to cus- 
tom, give us a sound drubbing. Sailors have an in- 
veterate dislike to young sprigs, who, when placed 
upon a level with them, assume airs of superiority. 
By guarding against this, we became great favorites. 
I must not omit, however, to mention one of the in- 
itiatory movements. While standing at the door, 
the first evening after our arrival, we overheard the 
comments made upon ourselves and our mission. 

" I say, Bill, M said one, " there's a pair of bloody 
tars for you ! They'll be slushin' down the t'gallant 
mast before long, or I'm out o' my reckoning." 

"Ay, ay," replied Bill; "better they never was 
weaned, than go driftin' round the world in a blubber 
hunter." 

" Never mind," added another, "vthey'll wish them- 
selves in the watch-house before two months." 

With these and other remarks of the kind they 
amused themselves for some time, when one of the 
party, a regular old sea-dog, with a tremendous quid 
of tobacco in his cheek, waddled up to us, and, star- 
ing us in the face, exclaimed, 

" Well, cuss me if these ain't the lob-lolly boys wot 
sarved in one of my ships. I say, my lads, don't you 



JOLLY WHALEMEN. 17 

know your old skipper 1 I'm Captain Bill Salt, wot 
used to lam you Lunars. Don't you know me V 

" No ; you must be mistaken. We have never 
been to sea." 

" Now I'm shivered if that ar'n't strange !" cried 
Captain Bill Salt ; " if you ain't my lob-lolly boys, I 
never seed 'em." 

" Nevertheless, we are not. B is my name, 

and W is my friend's." 

" Well, just as good. You was both born to go to 
sea. Come, let's splice the main brace. Come 
along, shipmates ! I'm agoin' to give these 'ere young 
gentlemen the first lesson in Lunars." 

Captain Bill Salt's manner was, to say the least 
of it, very friendly. We thought it best not to re- 
fuse his polite invitation. The sailors followed their 
comrade, who led the way to a chop-cellar a short 
distance from the boarding-house. 

" Come, all hands, what'll you take 1 Don't be 

shy. What d'ye say, shipmates," addressing W 

and myself; " close-reef or sea-breeze V 

" Close-reef," said we, at a guess. 

" Bravo !" cried Captain Bill, grasping each of us 
by the hand ; " you'll see the stars yet ! If you 
ain't sailors, it's the 'fects of eddecation or s'ciety, 
wot's all the same. Come, here's a toast : 

' Be cheery, my lads ! may your hearts never fail 
While the bold harpooneer is striking the whale !' " 

The toast was duly honored ; and we discover- 
ed, when we emptied our glasses, that " close-reef" 

C 



18 CAPTAIN SALT. 

was something very strong. Big-foot Jack, Chaw- 
o'-tobacco Jim, Handsome Tom, Red Sandy, and the 
rest of our jolly friends, then seated themselves and 
called for cigars. Captain Bill Salt told us to do 
likewise ; and, taking out his pipe, he soon enveloped 
himself in a comfortable cloud of smoke. Without 
waiting for the ceremony of an invitation, he gave 
vent to the following ditty, a copy of which I after- 
ward procured from him : 

"PARTING MOMENTS. 

" Farewell, my \ovely Nancy, 
Ten thousand times adjeu ! 
I'm agoing for to cross the ocean 

In sarch of something new. 
Come, change a ring wid me, my dear, 

Come, change a ring wid me ; 
And that will be my fond toaken 
When I am on the sea — 

When I am on the sea, 

And you don't know where I be. 

Now one fond kiss, my Nancy dear, 

Now one fond kiss for me, 
Before I go for to begin 

To roam upon the sea. 
And hear this secret of my heart : 

Wid the best of my good-will, 
Be where it may, this poor body, 

Is yourn, sweet Nancy, still — 

Is yourn, sweet Nancy, still, 
Wid the best of my good-will." 

This song elicited the most rapturous applause. 
Captain Bill then spun us some tough yarns, while 
the company slipped out one by one. As we were 
about to leave, the bar-keeper called us aside, and 



PAY THE SHOT. 19 

politely requested my friend and myself to pay the 
reckoning, assuring us that it was customary, when 
young gentlemen were about to go on a voyage, to 
treat all hands. We accordingly gave him our last 
cent, and were not a little edified at the cool manner 
in which Captain Bill Salt witnessed the operation. 
Though our confidence in that eccentric individual 
was a little shaken, we took the whole proceeding 
as a very good joke, and laughed to think how 
cleverly we had been gulled. Thus ended our " first 
lesson in Lunars." 

Our friend, the fitter, was a most accommodating 
man. With a delicate appreciation of our pecuni- 
ary embarrassments, he paid our board, furnished us 
with every little luxury we wanted, lent us his pleas- 
ure-boat to sail in, told us he would make our ex- 
penses all right with the owners, and gave us a great 
deal of fatherly advice about our conduct at sea. In 
addition to all this kindness, he considerately pro- 
vided us with chests and sea-clothes at a terrible 
sacrifice, being at least ten per cent cheaper than 
we could get them elsewhere. Besides, the mere 
fact of his crediting total strangers seemed so gener- 
ous, so confiding, so high-minded ! 

The only vessel about to sail immediately was the 
barque Styx,* of Fair Haven. Through the exer- 
tions of our excellent friend, the fitter, the owners, 

* Some of the incidents related in this narrative render it advisable 
that I should mention no real names, except where the parties can 
not take offense. 



20 GREAT THINGS PROMISED. 

apparently with great reluctance, agreed to take us. 
They told us the vessel was well fitted ; better, in 
fact, than any vessel we could find. One of them, 
an old Quaker, assured us no whaler had ever sail- 
ed from New Bedford or Fair Haven as well fitted; 
he had attended to it all himself, and, we might de- 
pend upon it, we would live in style. The captain, 
we learned from them, was a young man, pretty 
strict in his discipline, but a fine, generous fellow. 
He would treat us well, and give us plenty to eat ; 
and, if we made ourselves useful, he would be very 
kind to us. He was a first-rate whaleman, and no 
doubt we would make a good voyage, and come 
home in a year or a year and a half with lots of 
money due to us. The vessel was a hundred and 
forty-seven tons burden, and calculated to hold a 
thousand barrels of oil. We were to receive the or- 
dinary lay of green hands, being, as we were told, 
the one hundred and thirtieth part of the oil taken. 
There was provision enough on board to last for 
twenty-seven months, so that, if not. successful, there 
was no danger of our starving. We were to have 
what clothes we needed out of the slop-chest at the 
New Bedford prices. The shipping articles were 
then presented to us, and we signed them without 
exhibiting any such ungentlemanly want of confi- 
dence in the representations of the owners as to 
read the contents ; besides, we were afraid, as they 
had accepted us so reluctantly, some difficulty might 
arise by which we would be deprived of the pleas- 



WEIGH ANCHOR. 21 

ure of performing a voyage under such pleasant 
auspices. The signing of the articles we regarded 
as a sort of security. 

With sanguine hopes and enthusiastic dreams of 
adventure we bade good-by to our New Bedford 
friends, and, on the morning of July — , embarked. 
The Styx lay in the middle of the Acoshnet River, 
opposite the town of New Bedford. 

At 2 P.M. all hands were called to the windlass, 
and we weighed anchor. A light breeze slowly 
wafted us out into Buzzard's Bay. The shipping at 
the New Bedford wharf became gradually indistinct, 
and the houses looked misty in the distance. It was 
a beautiful Sabbath afternoon. The church bells 
were tolling a melancholy farewell; and I shall never 

forget the look W gave me as he pointed to the 

receding shores, and observed, in a melancholy tone, 
"I have unhappy thoughts. It seems to me those 
familiar sounds call us back. But we are too late ; 
it is useless to repent now." My feelings were 
touched ; the whole past was before me in a moment : 
friends, brothers, sisters, all ! I would have given all 
I ever hoped to possess to retrace a few hours of my 
life. 

" Too late — too late ! how heavily that phrase 
Comes, like a knell, upon the shuddering ear, 

Telling of slighted duties, wasted days ; 
Of privileges lost, of hopes once dear, 

Now quenched in gloom and darkness — " 



22 OUR CAPTAIN. 



CHAPTER III. 

A Sketch of our Captain. — First Night at Sea. — Remedy for Sea- 
sickness. — The Calcutta Hole outdone. — Stormy Weather. — The 
Gulf Stream. — Reefing in a Gale. — Vain Regrets. — Rough Fare. 
— Voracity of the Portuguese. 

Toward evening the captain came on board in a 
pilot-boat, and took charge of the vessel. I had not 
seen him before, and of course felt a curiosity to 
know what sort of a looking man he was. The 
owners had spoken in such glowing terms of him 
that, I must confess, he did not altogether realize my 
expectations. His personal appearance was any 
thing but prepossessing. Picture to yourself a man 
apparently about thirty-five years of age, with a 
hooked nose, dark crop hair, large black whiskers, 
round shoulders, cold blue eyes, and a shrewd, repul- 
sive expression of countenance ; of a lean and mus- 
cular figure, rather taller than the ordinary standard, 
with ill-made, wiry limbs, and you have a pretty cor- 
rect idea of Captain A . He wore a broad- 
brimmed Panama hat, turned up at the sides, a green 
roundabout, a pair of dirty duck pantaloons, very 
wide at the bottom, and slip-shod shoes, which had 
evidently done service for two or three voyages. He 
walked the quarter-deck with his hands in his 
pockets, his eyes down, and his lips firmly com- 
pressed. Altogether he had a sneaking, hang-dog 



FIRST NIGHT AT SEA. SICK. 23 

look that was not very encouraging to those destined 
to be subject to his will during a year's cruise, or per- 
haps longer. When he gave orders, it was in a 
sharp, harsh voice, with a vulgar, nasal twang, and 
in such a manner as plainly betokened that he con- 
sidered us all slaves of the lowest cast, unworthy of 
the least respect, and himself our august master. . 

Night closed upon us with rough and cloudy 
weather. By morning we had a heavy, chopping 
sea, and began to experience all the horrors of sea^- 
sickness. The mate, a stout, bluff-looking English- 
man, with a bull neck, kept us in continual motion, 
and gave us plenty of hard work to do, clearing up 
the decks, bracing the yards, stowing down the loose 
rubbish, and otherwise making the vessel tidy and 
ship-shape. He bellowed forth his orders to the 
men in the rigging like a roaring lion, yelled and 
swore at the "green hands" in the most alarming 
manner, and pulled at the ropes as if determined to 
tear the whole vessel to pieces. The loungers or 
" sogers" had no chance at all with him ; he actually 
made them jump as if suddenly galvanized. For the 
sea-sick he had no sympathy whatever. 

" Stir yourselves ; jump about ; pull, haul, work 
like vengeance !" he would say, in the bluff, hearty 
voice of a man who appeared to think sickness all 
folly ; " that's the way to cure it. Youll never get 
well if you give up to it. Tumble about there ! 
Work it off, as I do!" 

To the haggard, woe-begone landsmen, who stag- 



24 STEWED IN THE FORECASTLE. 

gered about groaning under their afflictions, this 
sounded very much like mockery. For my part, I 
thought the mate a great monster to talk about sick- 
ness, with a face as red as a turkey-cock's snout. 

After a day of horrors such as I had never spent 
before, we were permitted to go below for the night. 
Our condition was not improved by the change. 
The forecastle was black and slimy with filth, very 
small, and as hot as an oven. It was filled with a 
compound of foul air, smoke, sea-chests, soap-kegs, 
greasy pans, tainted meat, Portuguese ruffians, and 
sea-sick Americans. The Portuguese were smok- 
ing, laughing, chattering, and cursing the green 
hands who were sick. With groans on one side, 
and yells, oaths, laughter and smoke on the other, it 

altogether did not impress W and myself as a 

very pleasant home for the next year or two. We 
were, indeed, sick and sorry enough, and heartily 
wished ourselves ashore. 

Nothing can be more bewildering to a youth, 
whose imagination naturally magnifies all the dan- 
gers of the deep, than to be roused up in the dead 
of night, when the ocean is lashed into a fury by a 
stiff gale, the vessel pitching and laboring, and the 
officers yelling at the men as if endeavoring to drown 
the roaring of the elements with loud, fierce impre- 
cations, while thick darkness enshrouds all — dark- 
ness so dense, that, but for momentary flashes of 
lightning, one might fancy chaos had come again. 
Such was the novel and startling scene that burst 



"tumble up" in a storm. 25 

upon us with all its wildness on the night of the 
19th. 

" We were dead of sleep, 
And (how we knew not) all clapped under hatches, 
Where, with strange and several noises 
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains, 
And more diversity of sounds all horrible, 
We were awaked." 

Sea-sick and harassed after a hard day's work, we 
had gladly availed ourselves of a few hours' respite 
from duties so laborious. The mate came to the 
scuttle, and, with half a dozen tremendous raps, 
roared at us to bear a hand. " Tumble up, every 
mother's son of you, and take in sail. Out with you, 
green hands and all. We won't have any sick 
aboard here. You didn't come to sea to lay up. No 
groaning there, or I'll be down after you. D'ye 
hear the news down below ? Tumble up ! tumble 
up, my lively hearties !" 

There was no refusing so peremptory a command 
as this, little as we liked it. Without exactly tum- 
bling up, we contrived, with some difficulty, to gain 
the deck, for the vessel pitched so violently that few 
of the green hands could keep their feet under them. 
I shall never forget the bewilderment with which I 
looked around me. We were in the Gulf Stream, 
enshrouded in darkness and spray. The sea broke 
over our bows, and swept the decks with a tremen- 
dous roar. Momentary flashes of lightning added to 
the sublimity of the scene. When I looked over 
the bulwarks, it seemed to me that the horizon was 

D 



26 WILD NIGHT. 

flying up in the clouds and whirling round the ves- 
sel by turns, and the clouds, as if astonished at such 
wild pranks, appeared to be shaking their dark heads 
backward and forward over the horizon. I looked 
aloft, and there the sky was sweeping to and fro in 
a most unaccountable manner. The vessel went 
staggering along, creaking, groaning, and thumping 
its way through the heavy seas. 

I grasped the first rope I could get hold of, and 
held on with the tenacity of a drowning man. For 
a few moments I could do nothing but gasp for 
breath, and wipe the salt water out of my eyes with 
one hand while I held on with the other. The con- 
fusion of voices and objects around me, the tremen- 
dous seas sweeping over the decks, and the flapping 
of the sails, impressed me with the belief that we 
were all about to be lost. I kept my grasp on the 
rope, thinking it must be fast to something, and, if 
the ship foundered, I should at least be sure of a 

piece of the wreck. As for my comrade W , I 

supposed he was still on board, and called for him 
with all my might; but the wind drove my voice 
back in my throat. While standing in this unpleas- 
ant predicament, the mate came rushing by, shout- 
ing to the green hands to " tumble up aloft, and lay 
out on the yards !" Aloft such a night, and for the 
first time ! Was the man mad ? The very idea 
seemed preposterous. Presently he came dashing 
back, thundering forth his orders with the ferocity 
of a Bengal tiger. "Up with you! Every man 



FIRST LESSON AT CLIMBING THE SHROUDS. 27 

tumble up ! Don't stand gaping like a parcel of 
boobies ! Aloft there, before the sails are blown to 
Halifax !" Knowing how useless it would be to re- 
monstrate, and believing I might as well die one 
way as another, I sprang up on the weather bulwark 
and commenced the terrible ascent. The darkness 
was so dense that I could scarcely see the ratlins, 
and it was only by groping my way in the wake of 
those before me, that I could at all make out where 
I was going. A few accidental kicks in the face 
from an awkward fellow who was above me, and a 
punch or two from another below me, convinced 
me that I was in company, at all events. How I 
contrived to drag myself over the foretop, I do not 
well remember. By a desperate exertion, however, 
I succeeded, and holding on to every rope I could 
get hold of with extraordinary tenacity, I at length 
found myself on the foot-rope, leaning over the yard, 
and clinging to one of the reef-points, fully deter- 
mined not to part company with that in spite of the 
captain, mate, or whole ship's company. " Haul out 
to leeward !" roared somebody to my right ; " knot 
away !" This was all Greek to me. A sailor close 
by good-naturedly showed me what I was to do, and 
having knotted my reef-point, I looked down to see 
what was the prospect of getting on deck again. 
The barque was keeled over at an angle of forty-five 
degrees, plunging madly through the foam, and I 
could form no idea of the bearings of the deck. All 
I could see was a long dark object below, half hid- 



28 NICE FARE. 

den in the raging brine. My right-hand neighbor 
gave me a hint to get in out of the way, which re- 
quired no repetition, for I found my situation any 
thing but pleasant. By the time I reached the fore- 
top my head was pretty well battered, and my hands 
were woefully skinned and bruised, the sailors hav- 
ing made free use of me to accelerate their down- 
ward progress. 

I found, on gaining the forecastle, that my friend 

W had passed through the ordeal in safety. 

We said nothing, but looked our unqualified disap- 
probation of such a life. The Portuguese, to make 
matters still worse, laughed heartily at the sorry figure 
we cut, and told us all this "was nothing to what 
we'd see yet." 

Next day the green hands, including my friend 
and myself, looked haggard enough. We were all 
dreadfully sea-sick. Our fare was by no means in- 
viting under such circumstances. For breakfast we 
had an abominable compound of water, some molas- 
ses, and something dignified by the name of coffee, 
with hard biscuit and watery potatoes ; for dinner 
pork, salt beef, and potatoes ; and for supper, a repe- 
tition of the biscuit and potatoes, with boiled weeds 
and molasses as a substitute for tea and sugar. It 
was perfectly amazing the voracity with which the 
Portuguese devoured this fare. Had they whetted 
their appetites for months on raw corn they could 
not have swallowed such food as was now before 
them with more relish. I must confess, their digest- 



YANKEE MACK. 29 

ive powers excited my envy as well as my astonish- 
ment. It made me despair to see them eat. I 
would have given all I expected to make during the 
voyage to possess their swinish relish for food. How- 
ever, before the expiration of two months, I had rea- 
son to change my tune. I would have given twice 
as much to get rid of my appetite ! 

We had on board a Yankee boy, who afforded 
much amusement to the crew. MacF ^ ''• - , or, as he 
was called for shortness, Mack, was a down-east 
chap from " away up Maine," somewhere in the 
neighborhood of sunrise. Had Nature been in her 
most whimsical mood, she could not have formed a 
greater curiosity than Mack, in every respect. He 
was an odd specimen of the " live Yankee." Imagine 
a gawky youth of nineteen, with arms reaching down 
to his knees, tremendous wrist bones and hands, a 
lank visage, shins like drum-sticks, and feet moulded 
for a giant, but placed by mistake under the afore- 
said shins, and you have a fair representation of his 
outward man. Mack, notwithstanding these freaks 
of Nature, was a general favorite. Nothing could 
ruffle his good humor. His awkwardness and quaint 
wit were irresistible. I doubt if Yankee Hill or Dan 
Marble ever had a better model. 

Mack was woefully sea-sick. The poor fellow's 
face was the very picture of sorrow. His skin, nat- 
urally dark, had assumed a greenish hue, and his lank 
cheeks and protruded lips formed a most pathetic 
picture of rueful retrospection. Sick as I was my- 



30 SALT WATER NO CURE FOR SEA-SICKNESS. 

self, I could not repress my risibles, when, leaning 
over the monkey-rail, squaring accounts with old 
Nep, he paused every moment to exclaim, " There ! 
durn it all, I know'd I was goin' to be sick. Oh, 
gosh ! oh, gosh !" 

Poor Mack ! From the bottom of my heart I 
sympathized with him as he groaned, " Dod burn the 
thing ! I wouldn't grudge twenty dollars if I was at 
hum milkin' the keows." 

" Why, Mack," I inquired, " you are not tired of 
whaling already, are you V 

" Well, I can't say, exacly ; but I guess this child 
won't be caught in such a snap agin ; not soon he 
won't. Oh, gosh ! gosh ! Dod blame the luck ! 
'Tain't no use to try ; folks says salt water helps it 
some, but, durn the thing, I've swallered a bucket- 
ful, an' I feel a devilish sight worse an' ever." 

" Maybe you haven't swallowed enough, Mack," 
said the cook ; " try another bucketful, and, likely 
as not, it'll cure you." 

" No, I won't !" retorted Mack ; " cause, durn the 
stuff, 'twarn't never made for nothin' in human shape. 
I wish I hadn't never seen a drop on't. Salt water! 
Ugh ! Oh, gosh ! oh, gosh !" 

"What induced you to ship on a whaling voy- 
age V I asked, forgetting my own folly. " Why didn't 
you stay at home, Mack, where you were better 
off?" 

" Well, I don't know. I came because I was a 
dod-burned fool ; an' I s'pose you hadn't no better 



TROUBLE ON BOARD. 31 

reason. Nobody hadn't onghter leave hum. Folks 
that be hum can't do better than stay thar'." 

I made no farther attempts to be witty at Mack's 
expense on this occasion. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Trouble on Board. — Choking a Seaman. — All Hands called Aft. — A 
Scene in the Waist. — Laying down the Law. — Duplicity of the 
Owners. — Choosing Watches. — Preparations for the Whaling 
Ground. — Fatiguing Exercises. 

Among the foremast hands was a man from 
Charleston, South Carolina, by the name of Smith. 
According to his own representation, he had served 
as steward in some of the schooners running from 
Charleston to New York. He professed to be well 
acquainted with ship duties, and his name was down 
on the papers as ordinary seaman. A boy from Fall 
River, who had shipped as steward, was so sea-sick 
as to be unable to do duty. The captain sent the 
mate forward to procure a temporary substitute from 
among the crew. Smith was selected, and ordered 
aft to act as steward until jthe recovery of the boy. 
He resolutely refused to act in that capacity, stating 
that he had shipped as an ordinary seaman, and 
would remain before the mast. The mate, upon re- 
porting his refusal, was sent forward to make him 
turn out at all hazards. Smith was very ill at the 



32 CHOKING A CHARLESTON MAN. 

time, and the mate, not wishing to be hard with him, 
did not resort to force. No threats, however, had 
any effect upon him. He steadily refused to act as 
steward, and stated, moreover, that he was unable 
to do duty of any kind, and would not be forced 
on deck until sufficiently recovered from his illness. 
The captain then came forward to the scuttle, and 
called upon him, in a peremptory voice, to turn out. 

" I'm sick ; I'll not go on deck !" said Smith. 

" Won't you 1 I'll soon make you !" shouted the 
captain. " I'll see whether you will or not !" Spring- 
ing down the ladder, he then grasped Smith by the 
shirt-collar, and dragged him out of his berth. " Up 
with you, now, and not another word from you !" 

" No, sir, I'll not go on deck," said Smith, making 
a show of resistance. " You'd better mind how you 
handle me ! I'm a Charleston man, myself! Let me 
go ; let me go, sir !" 

"Are you, hey !" thundered the captain ; " a Charles- 
ton man 1 I'll let you know what / am ; I'll let you 
know that I'm captain of this ship !" With these 
words the captain dragged him up the ladder by 
main force, and, jerking him through the scuttle, col- 
lared him against the foremast. Faint and haggard 
with sickness, the offender commenced pleading for 
mercy. 

" Don't choke me, captain ; don't choke me !" 

"Yes, I'll choke the stubbornness out of you; I'll 
choke obedience into you!" roared the captain, 
shaking him by the throat. 



ALL HANDS AFT. 33 

" Great God ! you'll kill me," groaned the man, 
nearly black in the face. 

" Do your duty, then." 

" I will, sir, I will. Don't kill me." 

" Go aft, then, and act as steward till I think prop- 
er to get one in your place ; and remember, if you 
show any more of your stubbornness, I'll flog it out 
of you with a rope's eud." 

Smith staggered aft, rubbing his throat, and crying 
with pain. From that time forth he was the officers' 
dog. He had earned a bad name for himself, and he 
kept it during the remainder of his stay on board the 
vessel. 

This was the commencement of trouble. It was 
deemed an appropriate occasion to "lay down the 
law." All hands were called aft. 

The captain deliberately stalked the quarter-deck, 
exulting in the " pomp and circumstance" of his high 
and responsible position. Every step he took be- 
spoke the internal workings of a man swelling with 
authority. The proud glance of his eye ; the severe 
frown of his heavy eyebrows ; the haughty curl of 
his lip ; even the peculiar twist of his long, nasal pro- 
tuberance seemed to say, " Behold, and wonder ! / 
stand before you arrayed in a halo of glory. / am 
commander of the great barque Styx ! Authority is 
mine ! Look upon me, all ye who have eyes to see, 
and tremble, all ye who have ears to hear !" With 
his hands stuck in his breeches pockets, he then ap- 
proached the break of the quarter-deck, and, strad- 

E 



34 PICTURE OF THE CREW. 

dling out his legs to guard against lee-lurches, asked 
if all hands were present. One of the officers re- 
plied in the affirmative. 

The scene was at once grotesque and impressive. 
Fourteen men, comprising the whole crew, were 
huddled together in the waist, at the starboard gang- 
way. Of these four were Portuguese, two Irish, and 
eight Americans; and certainly a more uncouth- 
looking set, including my friend and myself, never 
met in one group. The Portuguese wore sennet 
hats with sugar-loaf crowns, striped bed-ticking pan- 
taloons patched with duck, blue shirts, and knives 
and belts. They were all barefooted, and their hands 
and faces smeared with tar. On their chins they 
wore black, matted beards, which had apparently 
never been combed. The color of their skin was a 
dark, greenish-brown, if the reader can imagine such 
a color, and was calculated to create the impression 
that they never made use of soap and water. The 
variety of dress in which the rest of the crew were 
habited was fully as striking as that of the Portu- 
guese. Some wore Scotch caps, duck trowsers, red 
shirts, and big horse-leather boots ; others, tarpaulin 
hats, Guernsey frocks, tight-fitting cloth pantaloons, 
and red neckerchiefs. Several were bareheaded and 
barefooted, having lost their hats and shoes in the 
late gale. All the green hands, which included most 
of the Americans and the two Irishmen, were still 
cadaverous and ghastly after their sea-sickness, and 
not more than two had yet entirely "squared ac- 



PREPARATION FOR ELOQUENCE. 35 

counts with old Nep." Altogether we were the most 
extraordinary looking set of half-sailor nondescripts 
possible to conceive. Thus situated, and thus equip- 
ped for sea life, we stood gaping at the captain in 
silent admiration. 

The mates and boat-steerers, consisting of the 
chief mate, an Englishman, the second mate, an 
American, two Portuguese boat-steerers, and an 
American of the same grade, stood near the mainmast, 
looking on with the air of men who were used to 
such things, and took no particular interest in them. 

The captain, after considerable deliberation, and 
a great show of contempt toward every body within 
range of his visual rays, then addressed us in a sharp 
nasal voice, fixing his eyes upon each man alter- 
nately. I had listened to many speeches, but never 
to one more pointed than this. No doubt he will 
be surprised to find it literally reported : 

" I suppose you all know what you came a whaling 
for 1 If you don't, I'll tell you. You came to make 
a voyage, and I intend you shall make one. You 
didn't come to play ; no, you came for oil ; you came 
to work." [Here he took a turn on the quarter-deck, 
and while concentrating his ideas for another burst 
of eloquence, amused himself in an undertone, partly 
addressed to himself individually, and partly to the 
mate, by letting us know that it should be " a greasy 
voyage, and a monstrous greasy one too."] 

" You must do as the officers tell you, and work 
when there's work to be done. We didn't ship you 



36 LAYING DOWN THE LAW. 

to be idle here. No, no, that ain't what we shipped 
you for, by a grand sight. If you think it is, you'll 
find yourselves mistaken. You will that — some, I 
guess." [Here he lost the idea, or, to use a more 
expressive phrase, "got stumped."] "I allow no 
fighting aboard this ship. Come aft to me when 
you have any quarrels, and Til settle 'em. Til do 
the quarreling for you — I will." [Another turn on 
the quarter-deck.] "If there's any fighting to be 
done, I want to have a hand in it. Any of you that 
I catch at it, '11 have to fight me/" [A frightful 
doubling up of the fists, and a most ferocious gnash- 
ing of the teeth.] " I'll have no swearing, neither. 
I don't want to hear nobody swear. It's a bad 
practice — an infernal bad one. It breeds ill will, 
and don't do no kind o' good. If I catch any one 
at it, damme, I'll flog him, that's all." [A nod of the 
head, as much as to say he meant to be as good as 
his word.] " When it's your watch below, you can 
stay below or for'ed, just as you please. When it's 
your watch on deck, you must stay on deck, and 
work, if there's work to be done. I won't have no 
skulking. If I see sogers here, I'll soger 'em with a 
rope's end. Any of you that I catch below, except 
in cases of sickness, or when it's your watch below, 
shall stay on deck and work till I think proper to 
stop you." [A stride or two aft, and a glance to 
windward.] " You shall have good grub to eat, and 
plenty of it. I'll give you vittles if you work; if 
you don't work, you may starve. Don't grumble 



LAYING DOWN THE LAW. 37 

about your grub neither. You'd better not, I reckon." 
[A mysterious shake of the head, which implied a 
vast deal of terrific meaning.] " If you don't get 
enough, come aft and apply to me. I'm the man 
to apply to ; Tm the captain." [Here he surveyed 
himself with a look of exultation, which seemed to 
say that he was not only the captain — the very man 
to whom he had special reference, but that it was a 
source of infinite satisfaction to him to he the cap- 
tain.] '• Now, the sooner you get a cargo of oil, the 
sooner you'll get home. You'll find it to your in- 
terest to pay attention to what I say. Do your duty, 
and act well your part toward me, and I'll treat you 
well ; but if you show any obstinacy or cut up any 
extras, I'll be d^-d if it won't be worse for you ! 
Look out ! I ain't a man that's going to be trifled 
with. No, /ain't — not myself, /ain't ! The officers 
will all treat you well, and I intend you shall do as 
they order you. If you don't, I'll see about it." 
[Three or four strides to and fro on the quarter-deck, 
and a portentous silence of five minutes.] " That's 
all. Go for'ed, where you belong !" 

Had the captain made good all his promises, we 
would have had no just cause for complaint ; but we 
soon discovered that his speech was merely designed 
to intimidate us. From that time forth we had the 
poorest fare, and in the scantiest quantities. The 
owners had given us positive assurance that there 
never had sailed from that port a vessel better fitted 
in every respect. For their misrepresentations, we 



38 PREPARATION FOR THE WHALING GROUND. 

heartily wished them a berth in their own barque, 
believing that the severest punishment that could be 
inflicted upon them. A month's trial at it would 
make them exercise more humanity toward their 
fellow-creatures. 

Next in the routine of business was the choosing 
of watches. We were all called to the waist that 
evening, and examined like a parcel of bullocks about 
to be butchered. The mate and second mate made 
the selections. Among others, I was chosen for the 
larboard or mate's watch, and my friend for the star- 
board or second mate's watch. 

The watch on deck was then set to work on the 
whaling gear. Our duties from that time till we 
arrived on the western whaling ground were, work- 
ing ship, grinding harpoons, spades, lances, boarding 
knives, &c, making deck brooms, washing decks 
every morning, clearing the rubbish away every after- 
noon, stowing away loose casks, steering and stand- 
ing mast-heads. Whenever the weather was fine 
we lowered the boats and practiced at pulling, back- 
ing, and all the manceuvers necessary in the capture 
of a whale. All this severe labor was very hard upon 
those who had not been accustomed to great physi- 
cal exertion. 



MY FRIEND ILL. 39 



CHAPTER V. 

Distressing Illness of my Friend. — His brutal Treatment. — Unfeel- 
ing Conduct of the Portuguese.— Their Ignorance. — Setting Boats' - 
crew Watches. — A Chase after Black-fish. — Evening Pastimes. 

Nothing of interest transpired after the difficulty 
with Smith, till 

July 27th.- — I had afternoon watch below, and 
had turned in to forget my troubles in sleep. About 
two o'clock I was roused by the steward, who in- 
formed me that W ^'^ had suddenly fallen upon 
the deck in a fit of convulsions. I immediately 
sprang up the ladder and ran aft. Language can 
not depict the shocking spectacle that met my eyes. 
There was my bosom friend, sitting up against one 
of the scuttle-butts, his shirt open, his hat lying on 
the deck, and his eye? ready to start from their sock- 
ets. The captain stood by him, holding him by the 
hand. I felt sick and giddy, when W fffis '/ stared at 
me with the vacant gaze of an idiot. Bursting into 
a wild laugh, he attempted to spring up. It was a 
fearful laugh — a laugh that rang like a death-knell 
in^my ears. I grasped him by the hand ; the terri- 
ble thought struck me that he had gone mad ! His 
voice was wild and unnatural, and his whole appear- 
ance awful in the extreme. Gazing vacantly in my 
face, he burst into tears, and sobbed as if his heart 
would break. I called him by name ; I implored 









40 MADNESS FROM A SUN-STROKE. 

him to speak to me. Without noticing my appeals, 
he turned to the captain and inquired my name. 
Upon receiving an answer, he begged me, in the most 
piteous tones, to convey a message home to his 
mother, that he never should see her again. 

" Before another hour," he said, " I shall be food 
for the sharks. O God, must I die so soon 1 Am 
I never to see home again 1 I have kind, good pa- 
rents ; tell them I died thinking of them. It is hor- 
rible — horrible to be thrown overboard in a sack !" 

No effort to console him had the slightest effect. 
The fearful idea that he was about to be devoured 
by the sharks seemed to drive him mad. He raved 
of strange things which he had seen at the mast- 
head ; talked incoherently of birds with beautiful 
plumage, curiously-formed fishes, and called upon us 
wildly to save him from the sharks. It was a scene 
of horror that I shall never forget. 

When he became somewhtt composed, one of 
the hands, assisted by myself, carried him forward 
to the forecastle, and laid him in his berth. For 
three hours he lay in a trance, with his eyes wide 
open, not moving a muscle. He looked like one 
that was dead. 

It appeared, from the statements of the watch on 
deck, that he had just come down from the mast- 
head, where the rays of the sun poured down with 
an intense heat. On reaching the deck, he walked 
aft toward the captain, who was parading the quar- 
ter-deck. After passing the break of the deck he 



BRUTAL TREATMENT. 41 

stood still, and while in the act of addressing the 
captain, fell down in convulsions. From all these 
circumstances, and from the fact that he was not 
subject to fits, it was quite evident that it was a sun- 
stroke. He had suffered severely from sea-sickness, 
and was greatly debilitated. A burning sun beating 
down upon his head for two hours could very easily 
have produced the terrible effects described. 

I thought it very hard that a man, really suffering 
from illness, should be compelled by the captain to 
stand two hours a day at the mast-head. It was, in 

this case at least, little better than murder. W' L - 

never recovered from the effects of this fearful afflic- 
tion. Better, far better would it have been for him, 
had he fallen from his post and found a watery grave. 
There are things connected with this event that 
weigh heavily upon my heart ; things not rudely to 
be touched — affections tried and hearts broken. 

It is needless to dwell upon his sufferings during 
the remainder of his stay on board the ship. The 
Portuguese were mere brutes, and, with two or three 
exceptions, the rest of the crew were little better. 
Sympathy for the sick was a weakness unknown to 
them. No temptation would induce them to refrain 
from smoking, swearing, and blackguarding. I at- 
tempted to purchase peace by giving them my 
clothes, but my exertions were of no avail. I saw 
that it was useless to expostulate, and finding that 
the noise increased W^— 's malady, I appealed to 
the captain to exert his influence over them. His 

F 



42 BRUTAL TREATMENT. 

reply was characteristic, and just such as I might 
have expected had I known him better. " He had 
nothing to do with the forecastle. The Portuguese, 
as well as the Americans, were at liberty to do as 
they pleased in it. He had no control over them 
after they went below. W ^ Tf ^ had no business 
coming to sea to get sick, and be a trouble to all on 
board. He had seen such fellows before, and would 
not put himself out of his way to pamper to their 
wants. Now that he was in a scrape, let him make 
the best of it, and not trouble folks with his com- 
plaints. If he wanted medicine, he might have it, 
and that was all that could be done for him." 

Where such an example was set by the captain, 
I could not expect the crew to do otherwise than 
follow it. For fifty-two days "VV guSH ** lay in the 
forecastle, suffering such tortures of body and mind 
as can not be described. The captain gave him to 
understand that he should not leave the vessel the 
whole voyage; he might die in the forecastle, for 
what he cared. During all this time, my unfortu- 
nate comrade had nothing to eat but hard biscuit, 
and occasionally a piece of butter about the size of 
a dollar; so reduced was he that nothing else allow- 
ed the crew would remain on his stomach. The 
hot, close atmosphere of the forecastle, rendered still 
more suffocating by the fumes of old pipes and bad 
cigars, was not very well calculated to promote his 
recovery. 

It would be difficult to give any idea of our fore- 



THE PORTUGUESE PARADISE. 43 

castle. In wet weather, when most of the hands 
were below, cursing, smoking, singing, and spinning 
yarns, it was a perfect Bedlam. Think of three or 
four Portuguese, a couple of Irishmen, and five or 
six rough Americans, in a hole about sixteen feet 
wide, and as many, perhaps, from the bulk-heads to 
the fore-peak ; so low that a full-grown person could 
not stand upright in it, and so wedged up with rub- 
bish as to leave scarcely room for a foothold. It 
contained twelve small berths, and with fourteen 
chests in the little area around the ladder, seldom 
admitted of being cleaned. In warm weather it was 
insufferably close. It would seem like exaggeration 
to say, that I have seen in Kentucky pig-sties not 
half so filthy, and in every respect preferable to this 
miserable hole : such, however, is the fact. 

In this loathsome den, the Portuguese were in 
their element, revelling in filth, beating harsh discord 
on an old viola, jabbering in their native language, 
smoking, cursing, and blackguarding. Their chief 
recreation, however, was quarreling, at which they 
were incessantly engaged. Nor was it confined to 
week-days, for not the slightest regard was paid to 
the Sabbath. The most horrible profanity was in- 
dulged in, and to an excess that was truly revolting. 
They did not seem aware even oi the existence of 
a Supreme Being. And yet these Christians chat- 
tered a paternoster over their beads every night ! 
What mockery ! 

I asked Enos, the most intelligent of them, if he 
had ever read a book called the Bible. 



44 KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURE. 

" No," said he, " I don't sabe how to read." 

" Did you ever hear of it !" 

"I don't know." 

" Do the people on the Western Islands pay any 
regard to Sunday ?" 

" Oh yes. When Sunday come, dey go to chapel. 
In de morning dey pray, in the evening dey dance 
and play cards; dey have fandango. Old padre 
say dat bad; we say, here ten cent. Den padre 
laugh and say no more 'bout it." 

Here the Portuguese all set up a laugh, and com- 
menced singing, in whining voices, "Dominus vo- 
biseo," &c. 

As soon as we arrived on the western whaling 
ground, boat watches were set. In a small vessel 
like the Styx, with three boats, besides a spare boat 
aft, there are usually three watches, consisting of 
the larboard, starboard, and waist boat's crew. Each 
watch is under the command of a boat-steerer after 
sail is shortened, which is generally about sundown. 
In our watches there were four men, and the boat- 
steerer. The mate and second mate sleep all night, 
and remain on duty all day. The alternate hours 
of duty and rest with the crew are arranged thus : 
Say the larboard and starboard boat's crews go below 
after sail is taken in ; the waist boat's crew remains 
on deck till ten o'clock, when it is relieved by the 
larboard boat's crew, and turns in till the hands are 
called in the morning. The watch then on deck 
is relieved at one by the starboard boat's crew, which 



A CHASE FOR BLACK-FISH. 45 

remains on deck till all below are called in the morn- 
ing. The starboard watch then has forenoon watch 
below, the larboard the afternoon, and the waist 
boat's crew all day on deck. 

In making a passage, there are but two watches, 
the larboard and starboard, which are headed by 
the first and second mate, who take the same hours 
of rest allowed the crew. 

So much of my time was taken up at the helm 
and mast-head, that I had but few hours every day 
to devote to my unfortunate friend, who could look 
to me alone for aid. Each day he became more 
exhausted from want of proper nourishment and care. 

August 3d. — We had now prepared all the whal- 
ing gear, and were daily on the look-out for whales. 

August 5th. — The boats were lowered for black- 
fish. I took my place, for the first time, at the aft 
oar in the waist boat. After rowing about two 
miles, we came up with the school* It was an un- 
usually large one, but the day was so calm that they 
were very shy. We made several unsuccessful at- 
tempts to get a dart at them, and continued the 
chase for six or eight hours under a burning sun. 
I was pretty well tired of my oar by the time we 
turned toward the vessel. The Portuguese con- 
soled me with the remark, that I had not begun to 
see " a hard pull yet," and enjoyed my cadaverous 
looks with great satisfaction. 

* The term generally used by whalemen when speaking of a gang 
or company of whales or smaller fish. 



46 DECK AMUSEMENTS. 

From seven till nine o'clock we usually spent on 
deck, amusing ourselves at the various pastimes com- 
mon among sailors. When the weather permitted, 
we had dancing, singing, and spinning yarns. The 
Portuguese had a guitar, or viola, as they called it, 
with wire strings, upon which they produced two or 
three melancholy minors, accompanying their per- 
formance with a harsh, unmusical chant. Four of 
them formed couples, and while one of the by-stand- 
ers played the guitar, those forming the set moved 
backward and forward like hyenas in a cage, paw- 
ing the deck with their feet, and using their fingers 
by way of castanets; all chanting, in a whining 
tone, two or three monotonous notes, which they 
repeated till it became fairly distracting. While 
the Portuguese amused themselves in this way, the 
American portion of the crew had songs, yarns, and 
dances after their own fashion. As all human en- 
joyments are comparative, so many an hour of real 
pleasure was thus passed on board the Styx by 
myself and others, who had seen worse times since 
we had left New Bedford. 



CRUELTY TOWARD A SEAMAN. 47 



CHAPTER VI. 

More Trouble on Board. — Cruelty toward a Seaman. — A School of 
"Whales. — Prize alongside. — Remarks of the Down-Easter. — Cut- 
ting In and Trying Out. — Land ho ! — Peak of Pico. — Terceira. 
— Trading. — Character of the Islanders. — Scenery. — Adventure 
on the Island. — An unpleasant Predicament. 

I alluded, in the preceding chapter, to the diffi- 
culty with Smith as the beginning of trouble on 
board. Soon after that a disease of long standing 
attacked him, and confined him to the forecastle for 
some time. He was abused by the Portuguese, and 
hazed by the officers for not getting well. The 
captain, disappointed in procuring oil, became so 
morose that, for days in succession, he spoke not a 
kind word to any of the crew. He swore, one morn- 
ing, that if Smith would not come on deck and go 
to work, he'd drag him out of the forecastle. Be- 
tween the abuse of the Portuguese on the one hand, 
and threats on the other, Smith thought it best to at- 
tempt to go on duty ; and the same evening he 
crawled up the ladder, and staggered aft, so weak 
that he could scarcely walk. In all vessels the in- 
valids, who are able to do any thing, take the helm, 
which was the duty assigned to this man. The 
captain was sitting on the gunwale of the larboard 
boat, close by. It should be remarked that he had 
an inveterate ill will against Smith ever since the 



48 LUFFING. 

morning of the difficulty ; and on several occasions 
observed, that he " might rot in the forecastle, and be 
d — d, before any trouble should be taken about such 
a worthless rascal !" I was in the waist at work 
grinding irons, when I was attracted by the harsh 
voice of the captain ordering him to " luff." Ignorant 
of the custom which requires the helmsman to re- 
peat the order (for it appeared that he had never 
been to sea before), Smith put the wheel to lee- 
ward, supposing that to obey was sufficient. 

"Luff, I tell you, luff!" roared the captain, in a 
savage voice. " Do you hear, there 1" 

Weak and nervous from the effects of his disease, 
the poor fellow continued to luff, muttering that she 
was coming up. 

" Luff! will you luff?" was the reply. 

Without any answer, Smith put the wheel hard 
down. 

"You scoundrel, luff!" thundered the captain, 
frantic with rage. " Do you hear me ? you sheep- 
head, do you hear me ?" 

" Yes, sir, I hear," said the man, quietly ; and, in- 
deed, it would have been difficult to avoid hearing, 
for the captain's voice was like the braying of an 
ass. 

" The devil take you, then, why don't you an- 
swer : 

"I answered once, sir." 

" No, you didn't ; don't tell me that ! don't tell me 
that, I say. Now, I tell you to meet her." 



THE CAPTAIN'S CRUELTY. 49 

Smith obeyed, but made no reply. 

" Curse you ! I'll teach you to answer ! I'll flog 
the stubbornness out of you ! You hear well enough ; 
but it's your stubbornness £" 

With that the captain sprang down on deck, and, 
rushing upon Smith, struck him several times across 
the face with his open hand. Haggard and faint, 
the poor wretch clung to the wheel to avoid falling. 

" I'll whale the stubbornness out of you ! I'll have 
you answer me when I speak to you. Now, when 
I tell you to do a thing, you'll do it ;" and, with other 
polished expressions of the kind, he walked to and fro 
on the quarter-deck, chafing with rage. 

" How does she head 1" next came, in a gruff 
voice. 

"East, sir." 

" You lie ! you lie !" 

There was no answering such an accusation as 
this ; for, if the captain says black is white, it must 
be so. 

" How does she head V (louder and fiercer.) 

"East" 

" You lie ! I tell you, you lie ! Don't you lie to 
me ! If I catch you lying, Til warm you !" 

" She heads so, according to the compass." 

" Don't tell me that ; I know better. You'll be 
laming me the compass next ! Look sharp, there ! 
I'll warm your back !" 

No doubt this treatment was intended to impress 
the man at the wheel as well as the spectators with 

G 



50 INJUSTICE TO SAILORS. 

a sense of awe toward the captain, and a proper re- 
spect for his authority and personal dignity. To me, 
however, there was something horribly brutal in it. 
I vowed in my heart he should be sorry for such 
cowardly conduct toward one who was unable to 
resent it. The time, I hoped, would come when I 
would have it in my power to show him that even a 
foremast hand may have feeling, and is not to be 
abused with impunity. 

This was but an every- day incident, after all. It 
may be that I have wasted time in describing it. I 
know there are some whose nicer feelings will revolt 
at such scenes. It should be borne in mind, how- 
ever, that incidents of this kind form a great part of 
a sailor's life. To some readers, who derive their 
ideas of things aboard ship from sea novels, in which 
the valor of the heroes consists in a heroic contempt 
of all authority, and a superabundance of imperti- 
nence, it may seem that to submit tamely to the over- 
bearing bullying of a brute, without retort or resent- 
ment, shows a want of manly spirit. I would ask, 
what is to be done in such cases ? A man has no 
right to strike his commander, however well justified 
he may be in so doing, according to our notions of 
right and wrong. Nor must he use language that can 
be termed insolent or mutinous. This might do 
ashore, where one man can meet another upon equal 
terms ; but it can not be carried out at sea. If the 
captain can not manage Jack, the officers are ready 
to lend their aid ; and, to my thinking, it would be 



CAPTURING A WHALE. 51 

poor satisfaction to be seized up by main force and 
flogged like a negro. Until masters are taught, by 
the severest punishment, that their little brief author- 
ity does not justify them in acts of tyranny and 
cruelty, poor Jack must quietly submit to all his 



woes 



August 16th Chased a school of whales all day. 

At 6 o'clock P.M. their spouts were seen about two 
miles off the lee bow. The larboard and starboard 
boats, headed by the captain and the mate, were 
lowered. At 10 P.M. the boats came alongside 
with a twenty-barrel whale in tow. All hands set 
to work rigging up the cutting tackle, and getting the 
try-works ready. 

The appearance of this, our first whale, was hailed 
by a general cheer. After the watches were set, 
and the decks cleared, I had an opportunity of ex- 
amining our prize. It was about thirty-five feet in 
length, of a rather light color, and had a strong, disa- 
greeable smell of oil. Though considered a very 
small whale, its proportions seemed gigantic enough 
to me. It was surrounded by sharks eagerly await- 
ing their prey. 

No correct idea can be formed of the process of 
capturing whales and trying out their blubber, with- 
out some knowjedge of the instruments employed. 
I shall take pains to make my information on this 
subject as intelligible as possible to the " unlearned" 
landsman, taking it for granted he is not versed in 
the mysteries of the craft. 



52 HARPOONING THE WHALE. 

First in importance is the harpoon. This instru- 




ment, called, in whaling parlance, an "iron," is gen- 
erally between three and four feet long, with a beard- 
ed head, and a shaft or handle of hickory, oak, or 
dog-wood, about a foot longer than the iron, pointed 
at the end so as to fit in the socket of the harpoon. 
A strap, or piece of tarred rope, fastened to the pole 
and firmly woven over the socket, keeps them to- 
gether, and forms a loop to which the tub-line is at- 
tached. The harpoon is the first instrument made 
use of in the capture of a whale. Instances, how- 
ever, have occurred, in which whales have been taken 
by the skillful thrusts of a lance. In ordinary cases, 
only one harpoon is made use of, but should it "draw," 
or the whale prove difficult to manage, it is not un- 
usual to dart three or four. Each boat is provided 
with that number. The head of the harpoon, when 
not in immediate use, is preserved from rust by a 
wooden cover, the inside of which is formed to fit it 
closely. It is the province of the boat-steerer to 
keep the whaling gear in good order, and he takes 
particular pride in the sharpness and polish of his 
" irons." The name of the vessel or captain is 
usually stamped on the thick part of the harpoon, 
so that, in case of a dispute between two captains 
in relation to their right to a whale struck by both, 
the matter may be determined by reference to the 



LANCING THE WHALE. 53 

brand. The first fast harpoon, if still attached to 
the line in the boat, forms an indisputable right to 
the whole whale ; but if the line be cut or broken, 
and the last save the loose whale, then the oil is 
equally shared, or the claimant yields his right by 
courtesy, or for a suitable consideration. 

The lance is somewhat longer than the harpoon, 



without beards, and shaped at the head not unlike 
a spoon, but convex on both sides, and very sharp 
on the edges and at the point. The handle is per- 
fectly straight and handsomely rounded, and varies 
from five to seven feet in length. A small line, about 
the thickness of a ratlin, is attached to it, for the 
purpose of drawing it back to the boat after a " dart." 
The lance is made use of to dispatch the whale, 
after having first secured him with the harpoon. 
When the w r hale becomes sufficiently quiet from ex- 
haustion caused by exertion or loss of blood, the boat 
from which the harpoon has been darted draws up 
by the line, and the chief officer in command ex- 
changes places w T ith the harpooneer, being of a 
higher grade, and presumed to be more experienced 
in the business, and begins the responsible task of 
lancing. This is the most dangerous part of the 
contest. It is often difficult to get the boat in a fa- 
vorable position, and a slight error of judgment, or a 
want of skill in the officer, may occasion the loss of 
the whole boat's crew. Two or three skillful darts 



54 BOARDING KNIFE AND DART. 

will bring the life-blood in a few minutes, and I have 
known cases in which, by a single well-directed dart, 
the whale was almost instantly killed. To strike a 
whale in the " life," or vitals, the first dart, is the am- 
bition of all good whalemen. 

This cut represents the form of the spade. It is 



aji instrument much used in the process of whaling. 
Each boat is provided with a spade, though it does 
not immediately come into requisition. It is em- 
ployed to cut holes in the blubber after the capture 
of the whale, in which to fasten the tow-rope, or to 
plant the " whift," or small flag, by which the posi- 
tion of the dead whale may be ascertained, in case 
the boat puts off after others in the school. When 
the lines of two or more boats become entangled out 
of the reach of the hatchet, the spade is sometimes 
used to cut away. It is also convenient in case the 
sharks become troublesome. On board the ship it is 
made use of to cut the blubber from the carcass of 
the whale ; and, in the hold blubber-room, spades 
(having short shafts) are the instruments employed 
to cut the large sheets of blubber called "blanket 
pieces" into blocks or " horse pieces" for the minc- 
ing knife. 

The boarding knife requires no explanation. The 

above cut gives a correct representation of it. In 



MODE OF MINCING MATTERS. 



55 



" cutting in" it is used to make holes in the blanket 
pieces for the blubber hook, and to cut them off 
when they have been drawn up to the blocks by the 
tackle attached to the windlass. 

Blubber knives are similar to the common knives 




used by butchers. In detaching the meat from the 
blubber, or making " lippers" to clean the decks, they 
come in play. 

The mincing knife slices the horse pieces for the 



try- works. It is thought that the thinner the blub- 




ber is sliced the more oil it will yield. Mincers con- 
sider themselves perfect in their branch of the busi- 



56 DESCRIPTION OF UTENSILS. 

ness when they can make " Bible leaves." In con- 
nection with the mincing knife should be mentioned 
the " mincing horse," which is simply a board about 
three feet long and ten inches wide, fastened to the 
bulwarks, and supported by a leg; upon this " horse" 
the blubber is laid for the knife. A large tub in 
front of the mincer, and under the horse, receives 
the minced blabber. When this tub is full, the 
minced pieces are thrown into another tub close by 
the try- works, from which they are thrown into the 
boilers with a large fork, which is represented in the 
following cut. 

The fork is also used to stir up the blubber in the 



try-pots ; and when the pieces become sufficiently 
crisp, they are thrown into a large wooden vessel 
for fuel, by means of a copper strainer. 

The strainer which this cut represents, drains 



the oil from the crisped pieces, or "scraps," and 

sometimes serves as a cooking utensil for the sailors. 

The dipper is used to bail the oil out of the try- 



pots into the copper cooler by the side of the try- 
works. 



DRAG AND TUB. 57 

This cut represents the pike, a sharp, curved iron, 



to which is attached a long oak or hickory handle, 
used to pass the horse piece from the hold, and push 
the heavy pieces of " lean" overboard. 

The "drag" is a piece of board about fifteen 




inches in diameter, of an octagonal form, with a 
block of wood passing through the center, to which 
a line is attached, and which is prevented from slip- 
ping through by shoulders on the other side. After 
the whale has been fastened to by the harpoon, the 
drug is thrown overboard, secured to the whale-line, 
so as to impede his progress and tire him down. 
I give a view of the " tub" merely for the purpose 




of showing the careful manner in which it is neces- 
sary to coil up the line. The slightest tangle or 

H 



58 OriNION OF WHALES. 

knot in a whale-line would endanger the lives of the 
whole boat's crew, from the great velocity with which 
it runs out. Great care is, therefore, observed in 
making each layer perfectly smooth, so that it may 
have a free run. 

These are the principal implements employed in 
the process of capturing, cutting in, and trying out 
the sperm whale. It is hardly necessary to go into 
dry details at greater length ; for were I to under- 
take a description of every thing pertaining to whal- 
ing, there is no telling where it would end. 

I was much amused at the remarks of the " down- 
easter," suggested by the novel appearance of our 
first whale. I observed him, as he leaned over the 
monkey-rail, gazing steadfastly at the whale, while 
he muttered something to himself which I could not 
hear. 

" Well, Mack," said I, " what's your opinion of 
whales V 

" Why, I was jest a thin kin' it's a considerable 
sort of a fish. They ain't got fish like that up the 
Kennebeck." 

" I guess not. Still it is nothing like so large as 
the whale Jonah swallowed." 

" By gosh !" shouted Mack, laughing, " if his'n 
was bigger than that, I'll be durned if the flukes didn't 
tickle his throat, if he was as sea-sick as I was a 
spell ago." 

" Do you think whales are fish V said I, rather 
balked in my attempt to quiz him. 



mack's repugnance to whales 59 

" Why, some folks says whales isn't fish at all. I 
rayther calculate they are, myself. Whales has fins, 
so has fish; whales has slick skins, so has fish; 
whales has tails, so has fish ; whales ain't got scales 
on 'em, neither has catfish, nor eels, nor tadpoles, 
nor frogs, nor horse-leeches. I conclude, then, 
whales is fish. Every body had oughter call 'em so. 
Nine out of ten doos call 'em fish. If whales live on 
small fish, they'd drive a smashin' business up the 
Kennebeck. I never see none up thar'. If I was a 
whale, I'd try them diggins. There ain't better fod- 
der for whales no whar'. This may be a good place, 
for all I know ; but it looks dreadful blue and lone- 
some. I'd want to be in fresh water, if I was a 
whale; and then, if I wanted to season the vittles 
Natur' gave me, I'd pile the salt on rayther more 
moderate. I'd salt 'em to suit me. I don't like to 
be forced to eat salt vittles now, and I ain't a whale. 
Whales is cannibals. I've a bad opinion of 'em my- 
self. I don't like the looks of 'em, no how. Gosh ! 
what a jaw ! I'd rayther let 'em be, and do business 
on a smaller scale. Folks that doos business on a 
small scale ain't so likely to git bu'st. Fishin's a 
fishin'. I like fishin' as well as any body; but 
catchin' of whales is a leetle too extensive. . It's or- 
fully alarmin' work. I don't want to be swallered 
jest yet ; not in the whalin' line, I don't !" 

At daylight next morning all hands were called, 
and set to work upon the whale. A brief descrip- 
tion of the process of procuring the oil may not be 



60 MODE OF TRYING OUT OIL. 

uninteresting. The blubber varies from four to ten 
inches in thickness. It is cut from the whale in lay- 
ers about three feet wide, which run from the head 
to the flukes, in a spiral form. After the blubber 
and flukes are hoisted on board with a large tackle 
attached to a pendant in the main-top, the boat- 
steerers cut them in sizes sufficiently small to fit 
snugly in the blubber-room, an apartment in the 
main hold. The try-works are then cleaned out, 
and got in readiness for boiling. Two or three 
hands are stationed in the blubber-room with short 
spades, whose duty it is to cut up the large pieces 
of blubber called blanket pieces into blocks or pieces 
about a foot and a half long and six inches wide. 
The blubber is then minced into thin slices, and 
cast into the boilers; a fire started, and the first 
batch of oil obtained : the crisped pieces of blubber 
are used for fuel. The hot oil is strained into a 
large copper cooler, where it is permitted to settle 
till the boilers are again ready to be emptied. It is 
then strained into casks, and kept on deck till quite 
cool, when it is stowed down in the casks in the 
hold by means of a hose. 

A " trying out" scene is the most stirring part of 
the whaling business, and certainly the most dis- 
agreeable. The try-works are usually situated be- 
tween the fore-mast and the main hatch. In small 
vessels they contain two or three large pots, imbed- 
ded in brick. A few barrels of oil from the whale's 
case, or head, are bailed into the pots before com- 



THE SHIP AT NIGHT. 



61 



mencing upon the blubber. Two men are standing 
by the mincing horse, one slicing up the blubber, and 
the other passing horse pieces from a tub, into which 
they are thrown by a third hand, who receives them 
from the hold. One of the boat-steerers stands in 
front of the lee pot, pitching the minced blubber into 
the pots with a fork. Another is stirring up the oil, 
and throwing the scraps into a wooden strainer. We 
will now imagine the works in full operation at 
night. Dense clouds of lurid smoke are curling up 
to the tops, shrouding the rigging from the view. 
The oil is hissing in the try-pots. Half a dozen of 
the crew are sitting on the windlass, their rough, 




weather-beaten faces shining in the red glare of the 
fires, all clothed in greasy duck, and forming about 



62 captain's sentiments. 

as savage a looking group as ever was sketched by 
the pencil of Salvator Rosa. The cooper and one 
of the mates are raking up the fires with long bars 
of wood or iron. The decks, bulwarks, railing, try- 
works, and windlass are covered with oil and slime 
of black-skin, glistering with the red glare from the 
try-works. Slowly and doggedly the vessel is pitch- 
ing her way through the rough seas, looking as if en- 
veloped in flames. 

" More horse pieces !" cries the mincer's attend- 
ant. 

" Horse pieces !" echoes the man in the waist. 

" Scraps !" growls a boat-steerer. 

By-and-by the captain comes up from the cabin to 
see how things are progressing. He peeps into the 
pots, and observes, in a discontented tone, " Why 
don't you keep that 'ere oil stirred 1 It's all getting 
black." Then he takes a look into the mincer's tub: 
" That won't do ! Make Bible leaves of 'em." Then 
he looks at the men on the windlass: "Hey ! all idle? 
Give these fellows something to do. We can't have 
idlers about now." 

Having delivered himself of these sentiments, he 
goes back to his snug nest in the cabin. The idlers 
resume their places, and entertain themselves spin- 
ning yarns, singing songs, &c, and calculating the 
time by the moon. About the middle of the watch 
they get up the bread kid, and, after dipping a few 
biscuit in salt water, heave them into a strainer, and 
boil them in the oil. It is difficult to form any idea 



LUXURY OF A WATCH LUNCH. 63 

of the luxury of this delicious mode of cooking on a 
long night-watch. Sometimes, when on friendly 
terms with the steward, they make fritters of the 
brains of the whale mixed with flour, and cook them 
in the oil. These are considered a most sumptuous 
delicacy. Certain portions of the whale's flesh are 
also eaten with relish, though, to my thinking, not a 
very great luxury, being coarse and strong. Mixed 
with potatoes, however, like " porpoise balls," they 
answer very well for variety. A good appetite 
makes almost any kind of food palatable. I have 
eaten whale-flesh at sea with as much relish as I 
ever ate roast-beef ashore. A trying-out scene has 
something peculiarly wild and savage in it ; a kind 
of indescribable uncouthness, which renders it diffi- 
cult to describe with any thing like accuracy. There 
is a murderous appearance about the blood-stained 
decks, and the huge masses of flesh and blubber 
lying here and there, and a ferocity in the looks of 
the men, heightened by the red, fierce glare of the 
fires, which inspire in the mind of the novice feel- 
ings of mingled disgust and awe. But one soon be- 
comes accustomed to such scenes, and regards them 
with the indifference of a veteran in the field of bat- 
tle. I know of nothing to which this part of the 
whaling business can be more appropriately com- 
pared than to Dante's pictures of the infernal re- 
gions. It requires but little stretch of the imagina- 
tion to suppose the smoke, the hissing boilers, the 
savage-looking crew, and the waves of flame that 



64 "LAND HO!" 

burst now and then from the flues of the furnace, 
part of the paraphernalia of a scene in the lower re- 
gions. Our " down-easter," who always had some- 
thing characteristic to say of every thing that fell 
under his observation, very sagely remarked on one 
occasion, when nearly suffocated with smoke, that 
" if this warn't h — 1 on a small scale, he didn't know 
what to call it." 

Of the unpleasant effects of the smoke I scarcely 
know how any idea can be formed, unless the curi- 
ous inquirer choose to hold his nose over the smok- 
ing wick of a sperm oil lamp, and fancy the disagree- 
able experiment magnified a hundred thousand fold. 
Such is the romance of life in the whale fishery. I 
have thus endeavored to describe a trying-out scene ; 
and I hope, with the aid of a drawing taken on the 
spot, my hasty sketch will not be altogether unintel- 
ligible. 

We saw, during our cruise on the western ground, 
great numbers of black-fish, grampus, porpoises, and 
jumpers ; and caught in abundance dolphins, alba- 
core, bonitos, and skip-jacks, which are all dry, and 
not to be compared with bay-fish. 

September 5th. — Killed a black-fish, which yielded 
three barrels of oil. 

September 10th. — At sunrise this morning the man 
at the mast-head saluted us with the cry of " Land 
ho !" All hands were on deck in an instant. The 
land proved to be the Peak of Pico, one of the 
Azores, or Western Islands, distant sixty miles. 



" FAR OFF BRIGHT AZORES." 65 

During the day it became more distinct, and toward 
evening could be seen from the deck, bearing west- 
northwest. Pico, at this distance, has much the 
•appearance of Teneriffe. The naked eye could 
scarcely distinguish the peak from the clouds on the 
horizon at so great a distance ; but I was told that 
Pico could be seen, on a clear day, at the distance 
of a hundred and twenty miles. It resembles, when 
first in sight, a dark blue cloud, the top of which is 
distinctly marked, while the base is lost in clouds of 
a lighter cast, mingling with the haze on the horizon. 
Fayal, another of the Azores, lying to the north- 
ward of Pico, within about seven miles, was not visi- 
ble at so great a distance. 

On Sunday, 11th of September, we made the isl- 
and of Terceira, the largest of the Azores. 

The wind being light, we did not approach near 
enough to see the houses and farms until next day, 
when we ran under the lee coast to avoid an im- 
pending gale. 

Terceira is a remarkably picturesque island, beau- 
tifully laid out in farms, which, at this season of the 
year, have a rich golden hue that bespeaks abun- 
dant crops. The coast is broken and rugged, and 
in many places so steep as to preclude the possibility 
of ascent. Part of the island seems to have been 
ingulfed by an earthquake, which accounts for the 
rugged appearance of the coast. It is visited at cer* 
tain seasons of the year by heavy gales and rains, 
especially in October and November, when there is 

I 



66 TRAFFICKING FOR ONIONS. 

frequently danger in approaching it. • While we lay 
off and on, awaiting a suitable opportunity of run- 
ning in, we had hard, shifting winds, and it rained 
almost incessantly. Mount Brazil, and other eleva- 
ted portions of the island, were covered most of the 
time with white, misty clouds. 

September 13th. — At eight P.M. the waist-boat 
was lowered. As I belonged to this boat, I was per- 
mitted to go ashore. We had a hard pull of about 
six miles before we made the beach. After running 
along for a mile or two in search of a good landing, 
we entered a small cove, forming a safe harbor for 
boats, where we found an excellent landing among 
the fish-boats belonging to that portion of the inhab- 
itants who follow fishing as well as farming for a 
livelihood. In less than an hour, the governor and a 
large posse of ragged officers came down, loaded with 
baskets of potatoes, onions, and fruit. We had pro- 
vided ourselves with a barrel of black-fish oil for pur- 
poses of traffic, that being a commodity greatly in 
demand on these islands. A circle was immediate- 
ly formed around our captain, who, with two Portu- 
guese interpreters, dealt out the oil at the rate of a 
quart for a bushel of fine potatoes or a large bunch 
of onions. It took us at this rate but a very short 
time to fill the boat, the inhabitants supplying us 
much more rapidly than the oil could be measured 
out. 

The scene was one of great novelty and interest 
to me. I had charge of the boat, so that I could 



TEMPTING BARGAINS. 67 

look on at my leisure. A fleet of storm-beaten fish- 
boats, with crews of sunburned fishermen, lay in the 
cove at anchor. Other boats were constantly com- 
ing in from the offing or going out ; and several 
crazy vessels of a larger size were drawn up on the 
rocks, apparently basking in the sun for want of 
something better to do. 

The shore at this place is very rugged and rocky, 
running up abruptly about a hundred yards, where 
it is joined by the base of a large bank of sand and 
rock, interspersed with cane and briers. A pathway 
leads up through the defiles between the rocks to 
the foot of this bank, winding thence circuitously to 
the summit, which is half a mile from the water. 
Close by the boat-landing there is a large cavern, in 
which the fishermen take shelter from the inclement 
weather so prevalent on the shores. The inhabi- 
tants residing in the neighborhood procure water 
from a small spring gushing from the rocks immedi- 
ately under the brow of this cave. Altogether it 
forms one of the most useful and romantic features 
in the scene. 

Before our boat had left the shore, news of its ar- 
rival had spread all over the island, and crowds of 
the peasantry, of both sexes and of every age, came 
flocking down, laden with baskets of fruit, potatoes, 
onions, melons, and other refreshments calculated to 
tempt the crew of a whaler. 

The dress of the females, though of coarse mate- 
rial, struck me as being rather picturesque. A white 



68 BEAUTIFUL BRUNETS. 

handkerchief tastefully arranged on the head, a loose 
spenser of blue cotton extending to the waist, and a 
short frock with a fringe of blue or pink, and a pair 
of light shoes, form the simple costume of most of 
these " ladies." Those between fifteen and eighteen 
years are very pretty and well-formed ; and, indeed, 
I saw many whose jet-black hair, bright eyes, and 
rich complexion would be regarded as beautiful by 
connoisseurs fond of the brunet style. Few of the 
older females are even passable. The rarest speci- 
mens of hags and leather-skinned witches are to be 
found among the ancient dames of the island, who, 
with an activity undiminished by age, skip about 
from rock to rock shrieking at the juveniles. The 
different classes of males can not be distinguished by 
any fixed style of dress, most of them wearing such 
ragged apparel as can be purchased from the crews of 
whalers. In this particular each individual seemed to 
consult his own taste, rather than follow any particu- 
lar fashion. Round jackets, loose frocks, small cloth 
caps, all covered with patches of a hundred different 
colors, are the articles in most general use. The men 
and boys usually carry long poles or staffs to assist 
them in climbing the rocky parts of the shore. 

About noon we returned to the vessel for a farther 
supply of oil, having bartered all we had carried 
ashore for a boat-load of refreshments. On Our re- 
turn to the island, great numbers of new-comers 
stood on the rocks awaiting our approach. Some 
of the governor's officers from Angra had also come 



SEARCHING FOR " TOBAC." 69 

down to prevent the importation of tobacco without 
the usual exorbitant duty. Notwithstanding their 
vigilance, however, I was beckoned aside by two or 
three young islanders, who had baskets of apples and 
figs for barter. Their eagerness to be understood, 
and my gesticulations to assure them that the vocif- 
erous rapidity with which they spoke Portuguese did 
not make it a jot more intelligible to me, were very 
amusing. After a variety of attempts to make them- 
selves intelligible, one of them cried out, pointing to 
his basket of figs, 

" Present me tobac, I present you fig." 

" I have no tobacco." 

" Yes, tobac here," feeling my pockets. 

" No, there is no tobacco there." 

" What ! you no got tobac chew 1" 

"No." 

" No tobac smoke ?" 

"No." 

" Tobac chew, smoke, snufif, no got V 

I assured him that I had none of any kind ; but, 
still doubtful, he endeavored to insinuate his hand 
into my pocket. This liberty I rather unceremoni- 
ously repulsed. Not at all displeased, he continued 
to petition me for " tobac." Finding me unable or 
unwilling to accommodate him, he began to perse- 
cute me for a knife. 

" Present me knife, signor V 

" I have no knife to trade." 

" Present you fig, present you apple, me." 



70 FONDNESS FOR KNIVES. 

"I can't trade to*day. To-morrow I'll buy your 
figs." 

" Suppose you show me knife 1" 

" No knife to sell." 

" Ah, me feel !" putting his hand on my pocket. 
As he still remained unsatisfied, I handed him a 
jack-knife to look at. 

" Star bon !" said he, eagerly grasping the treasure, 
and thrusting it into his pocket; "bon! bon! star 
bon knife !" 

The knife belonged to one of my shipmates, and 
I was unwilling to lose it. 

" No bon for you !" said I, catching him by the 
collar. 

" Oh, yes, bon for me." 

" Oh, no bon for you. Hand it out, my friend, or 
I'll show you a Kentucky trick. Do you know any- 
thing about gouging here ?" 

" Me like knife much !" shouted the rogue, laugh- 
ing. Finding me resolute, however, he very unwill- 
ingly complied with my demand. By this time 
about fifty ragged urchins, a few superannuated bel- 
dames, and a number of shaggy-faced fishermen had 
gathered around me, vociferating loudly for " tobac." 
They were thrusting toward me all kinds of fruits 
produced on the island, eagerly demanding in return 
" tobac chew ! tobac smoke ! knife !" which are the 
only articles of trade they seem to stand in need of. 
The boys went so far as to tempt me with large 
pieces of greasy and half-nibbled corn bread, shriek- 



IMPRESSION OF CHARACTER. 71 

ing, like a gang of young devils, " Tobac smoke ! to- 
bac! tobac!" 

Captain A and a Portuguese interpreter, as- 
sisted by the second mate, were mean time busily 
engaged dealing out black-fish oil to the islanders for 
onions and potatoes, under the superintendence of 
the governor, who stood by to see fair play on both 
sides. The boat, as soon as it was laden, was once 
more manned, and, with no very favorable impression 
respecting the character of the natives, I left for the 
vessel. 

Next day the waist-boat was again lowered. This 
time I provided myself with knives and tobacco, in 
order to secure a supply of fruit and other luxuries 
preparatory to our long cruise. The captain, on 
landing, finding that the islanders were not ready 
with their recruits, gave us an hour's liberty. This 
was the only opportunity I had of seeing the interior 
of the island. 

After some hard climbing, I ascended the precip- 
itous bank of rock and sand to which allusion has 
been made. Following close in the wake of two 
Portuguese belonging to the barque, I soon found 
myself on a road which runs circuitously round the 
island. At the junction of the road and the path- 
way leading from the boat-landing stands a little 
stone chapel, surmounted by a cross. A stair-way 
of rough stone leads from the chapel down to the 
road, at which point are stationed two sentinels. 

The first object of interest that struck my eye on 



72 A RURAL DUCHESS. 

entering the road was a singular vehicle, in which 
sat a lady of rank, as I learned from the sailors. It 
was a rough cart, with wooden wheels, constructed 
of solid block, and was driven by two men, one at 
each side of a yoke of oxen. The aristocratic belle 
held a blue cotton umbrella over her head, and sat 
quite contentedly on a bundle of straw, leaning back 
with as much dignity as if she were a duchess in the 
most magnificent carriage. A dark little urchin, ten 
or twelve years of age, protected her from the flies 
with a green branch. Her dress was of blue, fringed 
with some sort of red material. On her head she 
wore a handkerchief of snowy whiteness, as is cus- 
tomary with the females of all ranks on the island 
of Terceira. Her long, black hair fell over her 
shoulders with a graceful and coquetish wave. The 
drivers stopped, in order to satisfy the curiosity of 
their fair charge ; and as the desire to see was mu- 
tual, and, on her part, natural, the fair damsel stared 
at me and I at her, till, stared out of countenance, ] 
pursued my journey up the road, leaving her to 
make such comments on my appearance as she 
thought proper. 

My Portuguese cicerones were some distance 
ahead of me. I had a long run before I caught up 
with them. Wishing to purchase some apples, I 
inquired of Manuel, a cross-grained fellow, the name 
of apples in his language. "Calabooca loco!" said 
he, making use of an exclamation of contempt, which 
I mistook for the desired information, but which I 



"CALABOOCA LOCO." 73 

afterward learned meant " Hold your tongue, you 
fool!" a remark very common among these people. 
Ignorant of my mistake, I walked on, repeating the 
words over, till I came to a cottage, at the door of 
which stood an elderly woman of respectable appear- 
ance. Peeping over her shoulders were three or 
four girls, endeavoring to get a look at the stranger. 

" Com estha, signora," said I, mustering up all my 
Portuguese. " Have you any calabooca loco V 

" Qui ?" cried the woman, staring at me. 

" Calabooca loco .'" shouted I, hoping to make my- 
self understood by the loudness of my voice and my 
very marked emphasis. Much to my astonishment, 
the girls ran back from the door, laughing in the 
most unaccountable manner. Presuming they had 
misunderstood me, from some defect in the pronun- 
ciation, I clearly and distinctly repeated the words. 
At this there was a renewed burst of laughter from 
the girls, and a furious tirade, no doubt made up of 
all the slang in the Portuguese vocabulary, from the 
worthy mistress of the cottage. 

" Confound it !" said I, impatient at not making 
my Portuguese intelligible, "you don't understand 
your own language. Calabooca loco! Don't you 
know what that is, signora ?" pointing to my mouth. 

Upon this she stepped back into the cottage, and 
presently reappeared with a large slice of bread. I 
was glad enough to get a piece of "soft Tommy," so 
I did not complain of the mistake. As she was go- 
ing away she said something in Portuguese, which, 

K 



74 MOUNT BRAZIL. 

of course, I did not understand. However, I me- 
chanically repeated the words, " Calabooca loco /" 
hoping she might accidentally guess my meaning. 

" Santa Maria !" shrieked the woman, shaking 
her doubled fist at me, amid the roars of laughter 
from the group behind her ; " caiso ? caiso ?" and ut- 
tering a complicated anathema, she shut the door in 
my face. 

All this time my comrades were standing up the 
road at a short distance, holding their sides with 
laughter. 

We passed several neat cottages about a mile in- 
land, at which point the mountains commence. 
There is a gradual slope thence for about two miles 
up the sides of the mountains, where the ascent be- 
comes abrupt, and the land too barren and rocky for 
cultivation. Pursuing our way along the road half 
a mile farther, we arrived at the door of a cottage on 
the summit of a pleasant hill, affording a beautiful 
and extensive prospect. Immediately in the rear is 
Mount Brazil, which ascends gradually till the sum- 
mit is hidden from the eye in ranges of clouds. On 
either side the country is undulating and picturesque. 
Cottages peeping out from clusters of grape-vines, 
fig-trees, vineyards, corn-fields, and green meadows, 
form some of the pleasing features in the scene. A 
large ravine, extending to the coast, affords a fine 
view of the ocean, which even in calm weather dash- 
es in upon the rocks, and shoots up the spray in 
misty clouds. The little fish-boats belonging to the 



INVITATION TO DINE. 75 

islanders may be seen constantly dashing about 
among the rocks, guided by the daring fishermen. 

I was aroused from the reflections inspired by this 
romantic scene, before I had entered into the full 
enjoyment of its beauties, by the voices of half a 
dozen of the cottagers, vociferating " Tobac ! tobac, 
signor /" The patriarch of the flock, a venerable 
padre, with long, sleek hair, kindly invited me in, and 
offered me a chair at a table upon which was spread 
a light repast. As the invitation was made with 
eager gesticulations, apparently springing from the 
most hospitable motives, I did not decline it. The 
sight of vegetables, and fresh bread, however coarse, 
was peculiarly tempting to one who had been two 
months whetting his appetite on salt junk. The old 
lady of the house brought forth sundry additional 
rarities from her larder, while a boy was dispatched 
for wine. To all of these I need scarcely say I did 
ample justice. My hour's liberty was by this time 
pretty well extended. I presented each of my en- 
tertainers with a plug of " tobac," and left the cot- 
tage. Before I had proceeded more than a dozen 
yards, the whole family came running after me, hal- 
looing and gesticulating in a most unintelligible man- 
ner. " More tobac ! more tobac ! no bon ! damn 
tief !" were the only words I could understand. The 
Portuguese sailors informed me that I had not paid 
for my dinner. This, thought I, is hospitality of a 
new description! I gave them all the tobacco I 
had, and, satisfied that I had well remunerated them, 



76 " MORE TOBAC !" 

I hurried on, amid renewed cries of " More tobac ! 
no bon ! damn tief !" 

Late in the afternoon, having obtained a good 
supply of fruit and vegetables, we started for the 
barque, which lay becalmed about three miles off. 

A slow current setting in upon the rocks com- 
pelled us, soon after stowing away our load, to take 
to the boats and tow. There was not a breath of 
air to fill the sails. By sundown the vessel had 
drifted within a few cables' lengths of the rocks, and 
would inevitably have struck, in defiance of our ef- 
forts, had not a light breeze sprung up, and afforded 
us its assistance. In half an hour more we were 
bearing away under all sail. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

"A Gam." — Departure from Terceira. — Pico. — Island of Fayal. — 
Villa Orta. — Part with my Friend. — Landing the Sick. — Juggling 
for a Watch. — Departure from Fayal. — Gloomy Prospects. 

In a journal of this kind, containing miscellaneous 
gatherings of every description, I can not well omit a 
sketch of what, in nautical phraseology, is termed 
" a gam." When two whalers meet on any of the 
whaling grounds, it is usual to have " a gam," or 
mutual visit, for the purpose of interchanging the 
latest news, comparing reckoning, discussing the 
prospect of whales, and enjoying a general chit-chat. 



" CAPTAIN BUNKER." 77 

While our barque lay off Terceira, we one even- 
ing spoke a brother whaler. About four o'clock, 
when the decks were cleared up, the waist-boat was 
lowered, and we went on board with the captain. A 
crew from the stranger returned to the barque with 
our boat. After supper we had a social smoke. The 
musician of the ship was then called upon for a song. 
Seating himself comfortably on the fore-hatches, he 
cleared his throat, and gave us to understand, by way 
of a prelude, that he was a very indifferent singer. 
" He used to know some bang-up songs, but, some 
how, he had forgotten them all." This, of course, 
only served to whet our curiosity, and draw forth 
renewed calls for a song. " Tom was a lirst-rate 
singer. Every body knew Tom could sing. It was 
no use to deny it ; Tom must sing !" Pressed on all 
sides, Tom stuck his pipe in the galley, and scratch- 
ed his head to rub up the musical organs. He then 
assured us that he once knew a great many songs. 

" Come, Tom !" cried a chorus of voices, "give us 
' Captain Bunker.'" 

" Well, if I must, I must ; here goes for ' Captain 
Bunker.' " 

Tom then gave us the following whaling ditty. 
As it is a good specimen of sea-spun poetry, I give 
it without alteration : 

" CAPTAIN BUNKER. 

" Our captain stood upon the deck, 
A spyglass in his hand, 
A viewing of those gallant whales 
That blowed at every strand. 



78 " DEATH ON THE FIDDLE." 

Get your tubs in your boats, my boys, 

And by your braces stand, 
And we'll have one of those gallant whales, 
Hand, boys, over hand ! 
CJiorus. So be cheery, my lads ! let your hearts never fail 

While the bold harpooneer is a striking of the whale ! 

" ' Overhaul, overhaul ! 

Your davit-tackles fall, 
Till you land your boats in the sea 

One and all ■!' 
Our waist-boat got down, 

And of course she got the start : 
' Lay me on, Captain Bunker, 
I'm h — I for a long dart /' 

So be cheery, &c. 

* Our first mate he struck, 

And the whale he went down ; 
The captain he stood by 
All ready for to bend on ; 
* Which caused the whale to vomic, 
And the blood for to spout : 
In less than ten minutes 
He rolled both fins out ! 

So be cheery", &c." 

Great applause was awarded Tom for the credit- 
able manner in which he had acquitted himself. But 
singing was not altogether Tom's forte. According 
to the representations of his shipmates, he was "death 
on the fiddle !" The unanimous requests of the 
party were not to be resisted. The fiddler was com- 
pelled to play ; and, while the two high functionaries 
aft were discussing matters of grave and momentous 
import, we entertained ourselves dancing " shindys" 
to the lively notes of Tom's fiddle. Those who 
could strike their heels together in the best time, go 



GAME OF THIMBLE. 79 

the double-shuffle with the greatest activity, and tire 
down their comrades, were of course the best dan- 
cers. 

We next had the game of thimble, and enjoyed 
some rare sport when it came to the part in which 
the pawns were disposed of. A master of the cere- 
monies, provided with a piece of ratlin, was station- 
ed at the windlass. For every pawn, the unlucky 
wight who claimed it was compelled to receive a 
sharp cut on that part politely denominated the 
" seat of honor." 

These lively amusements lasted till after dark, 
when we began to experience a desire for something 
more sober. Among the crew of the stranger, I no- 
ticed an intelligent-looking, middle-aged man, of 
rather a serious cast of countenance. When our 
mirth had somewhat subsided, it was suggested that 
we should have a " yarn." 

All eyes were immediately turned toward the man 
whose appearance had attracted my attention. " Now 
you're in for it, Ned ;" " That's a fine fellow, Ned ;" 
"Nobody can spin a yarn like Ned Harrison;" 
" Come, shipmate, give us something about ghosts !" 
were the eager remarks on all sides. Ned replied to 
the appeal by modestly stating that he had spun all 
his yarns but one, and that was a mere matter-of-fact 
history of an old shipmate, which he didn't think 
would interest any body. " Never mind ; let's have 
it," cried all in a breath ; " I'll warrant you it's a 
first-rate yarn ; Ned never spun a bad yarn yet." 



80 SPINNING YARNS. 

« Why," said Ned, " as to that, I've always done 
my best to amuse you ; and if you feel disposed to 
listen to an account of my first voyage to sea, and 
the murder of a poor fellow — " 

" Oh, go ahead ! any thing about murder. Let's 
have it. Come, Ned, that's a good fellow !" 

"As I was going to say," continued Ned, "I 
wouldn't mind boring you for half an hour or so ; 
but, for my part, I'd rather hear a good song." 

" No, no ! the yarn ! the yarn about that murder ! 
Well, how did it happen V 

" If I must tell it, I suppose there's no getting out 
of it," said Ned, with the air of a martyr ; " but I 
want you to understand it's no common ghost story." 

" To be sure ; we know that. All right ! Go 
ahead !" 

Ned then seated himself on the hatch by the 
cook's galley, and, surrounded by an attentive au- 
dience, gave us 

"BOB GEJMSLEY'S GHOST. 

" I am about to spin you a tough yarn ; rather 
hard to believe, but true for all that. The good old 
times when ghosts didn't care a sou-markee when 
or how they appeared, are gone, and I'm sorry for 
it. I have a natural fondness for ghosts ; I was rais- 
ed with them, and feel as if they were my best com- 
panions. Somehow, whenever a ghost appears now- 
adays, there's a reason for it. In old times people 
didn't want a reason for their appearance; it was 



THE MATE. 81 

enough that they paid their visits and went away 
like regular, well-behaved ghosts as they were. 

"My first voyage to sea was in a Cape Horn 
whaler. I was then about eighteen years of age, full 
of fun and frolic, fond of yarns, and a devout believ- 
er in supernatural appearances. 

" There were only three aboard the ship who re- 
quire any special notice. The rest were just the 
sort of officers and men usually found in whalers. 
One of those to whom I allude was Mr. Rockford, 
the mate. 

" Though severe and exacting in his discipline, 
this officer was not disliked by the crew, for he was 
attentive to their comfort, and as good a whaleman 
as ever walked the planks of a Cape Horner. I can 
never forget this man's looks. There was some- 
thing peculiar about him, which kept us all at a civil 
distance. He was a tall, spare-made man, about 
thirty years of age, and of a sallow complexion. 
His features were strongly marked, indicating great 
determination of character. There was nothing re- 
pulsive in the expression of his countenance, though, 
as an index to his character, it bespoke a man of 
strong passions. It was his eye, however, that dis- 
tinguished him from all men I had ever seen. Of a 
piercing gray, stern, calm, melancholy, it penetra- 
ted the inmost recesses of one's heart, and whoever 
felt its influence once was glad enough to avoid it 
forever after. 

" Mr. Rockford was a man of few words. He 
L 



82 "yarn" continued. 

kept aloof from every body, so far as his duty per- 
mitted him, and was never known to join in a joke, 
or exhibit any levity in his intercourse with the other 
officers. As a natural consequence, he was left to 
the enjoyment of his moody thoughts. No one 
spoke to him or associated with him, except on mat- 
ters of ship-duty ; not, as I have already stated, from 
any dislike to him, but from the coldness of his man- 
ners, and his apparent desire to be left alone. 

" I come now to my shipmate, Bob Grimsley, quite 
a different man from Mr. Rockford. If I mention 
him with partiality, it is because he was a brave, 
generous, and* manly fellow; one who had often 
proved himself my best friend, and whose melan- 
choly fate revives old feelings. A better sailor never 
put his weight on a brace. Active and energetic, 
he was esteemed the very best man, in any sudden 
emergency, on board the ship. Jovial in his dispo- 
sition, free, cheerful, and intelligent, he was the life 
and soul of the whole crew. But there was one 
man who hated him from the bottom of his heart — 
whose enmity toward him seemed insatiable ; that 
man was Mr. Rockford. Grimsley was aware of 
this ; he well knew the cause. They had lived in 
the same town, and were rival suitors for the hand 
of a fair girl, to whom both were passionately at- 
tached. Accident had thrown them together on 
this voyage. Grimsley had no cause to return the 
hatred of the mate, for he was the favored lover, and 
on the eve of his departure had received assurances 



PLOT THICKENS. 83 

of a reciprocal regard from the object of his attach- 
ment. 

" The mate treated him with marked fairness, 
never taking advantage of his authority to gratify 
his animosity. Still it was evident he regarded him 
with the most deadly hatred. 

" We were cruising off the Fejee Islands. The 
weather had been for some days rough and squally. 
As was customary in such cases, the mate headed 
the larboard watch. We had not been successful 
during the whole cruise. At the period I speak of, 
Mr. Rockford was more strict and stern than ever. 
Something appeared to weigh heavily upon his 
mind, the nature of which none of us could fathom. 
In our watch, there were, besides Grimsley and my- 
self, four green hands, and a Spaniard who had 
shipped as an able seaman. We all agreed pretty 
well except the Spaniard, who was morose and sul- 
len, and seldom spoke to any body. This man 
seemed^ to be the special favorite of the mate. It 
was impossible to conjecture the precise character 
of the fellowship which existed between them, for 
they never talked to each other within hearing of 
others ; but on many occasions we saw them, in the 
dead of night, engaged in low and earnest conver- 
sation, when they thought the watch asleep. Oth- 
erwise they held no communication calculated to 
excite suspicion. Their looks — and looks are 
enough in such a little world as a ship, where the 
least thing that can not be accounted for has a mys- 



84 ned's dream. 

tery connected with it — were not such as common- 
ly pass between an officer and one of the crew. 
What this mystery tended to, or what the nature of 
their secret understanding was, puzzled us to divine. 

"One night, the darkest and gloomiest we had 
had for a week, I lay in my bunk, in an uneasy 
sleep. I had worked too hard that day, and rested 
badly. Perhaps it was owing to this that I was 
troubled with horrible dreams. Gradually they be- 
came centered in one, and this had a startling reality 
about it that I shall never forget. 

" I saw in my dream a crowd. The figures were 
dark and shadowy. They proceeded, with a meas- 
ured, noiseless tread, toward a church. I followed 
the sable procession, and, when we entered the 
church, I was shocked to find it hung with mourn- 
ing dripping with blood. Dressed in black, Grims- 
ley stood at the altar, supporting his bride, a young 
woman with a pale face and weeping eyes. There 
were ghostly figures moving to and fro with haggard 
looks. A horrid gloom pervaded the whole scene. 
When the ceremony was over, Grimsley turned to- 
ward me ; his face was that of a corpse ! With a 
cry of horror, I awoke. 

" Had I been, as I am now, a fatalist, I might have 
known how useless it was to speak to Grimsley. 
However, I then thought he could be saved, and I 
conjured him not to go on deck that night. He 
scoffed at my fears, and ridiculed my superstition. 
Still I begged, I implored him to send some excuse 
to the mate. To that he would not listen. 



MAN OVERBOARD ! 85 

" We had middle watch on deck. Grimsley had 
the first trick at the helm. I relieved him in two 
hours, and conjured him, as he left me, to be careful, 
for my dream boded him no good. He again chided 
me for my fears, and went forward, laughing at the 
solemnity of my manner. 

" I had not been long at the helm, when a heavy 
squall came on. The green hands were sent aloft 
to take in the light sail, and Grimsley and the Span- 
iard went out to furl the jib. Mr. Rockford was on 
the forecastle, giving orders. The roaring of the 
wind smothered their voices. Whenever it lulled 
for a moment, I thought I could hear the mate 
shouting to the men out on the jibboom. At length 
a wild cry was borne aft on the squall. My blood 
ran cold with horror. It was Grimsley's voice. In 
doubt as to what had happened, I waited a few mo- 
ments in dreadful suspense. The startling words 
resounded from the foretop, which one of the green 
hands had just reached on his way down, ' A man 
overboard !' The mate came running aft, with a 
wildness in his looks that thrilled through me. 

" ' Hard down your wheel !' he roared ; ' down ! 
down with the wheel, quick ! Haul aback the main 
yard! Call all hands!' The crew came rushing 
up from the forecastle, half naked and horror-strick- 
en. In another moment the captain was on deck, 
calling upon the crew to man the boats. He then 
addressed a few words to them, desiring them to be 
calm and determined. The boats were lowered, 



86 GRIMSLEY LOST. 

and manned by the brave and generous shipmates 
of the unfortunate Grimsley. After a long and anx- 
ious search, in momentary danger of their lives, they 
were reluctantly compelled to give up all hope of 
finding the body. We lay aback all night. Next 
morning the search was renewed, but finding it use- 
less to delay any longer, we again made sail. 

" There was a deep gloom throughout the ship. 
Poor Grimsley was gone ! He was no more among 
us to cheer us in the hour of trial, and entertain us 
in the hour of enjoyment. I need not dwell upon 
our grief. It is only at sea that the death of a com- 
rade can be felt with all its poignancy ; and that you 
must know, even if you have never experienced it; 
for you may readily imagine what it is to lose your 
best friend, when his place can not be supplied. 

" The Spaniard said that Grimsley had fallen from 
the foot-rope while furling the jib. Mr. Rockford cor- 
roborated his statement, and nothing farther was said 
on the subject. Still I had a suspicion that there 
had been foul play. Knowing, if I disclosed it, jus- 
tice would in all probability be defeated, I kept it to 
myself, resolved to watch both the mate and the 
Spaniard. 

" In Mr. Rockford I soon observed a change. His 
sallow complexion became more ghastly than ever; 
his form wasted away from day to day; his step be- 
came hasty and uncertain ; his eye restless and hag- 
gard. There was a settled gloom upon his features 
that increased their sternness. In walking the quar- 



CHANGE IN ROCKFORD. 87 

ter-deck he frequently stopped, cast his eyes down, 
and muttered incoherent words to himself; then, as 
if fearful that he had been observed, he would start 
and look anxiously around him. Toward the other 
officers he was more reserved than ever. He never 
spoke, except in the discharge of his duty, and then 
the tones of his voice were deep and stern. It was 
observed by the crew that, in the weary night-watch- 
es, he would often stand gazing toward the horizon 
without moving. From the night of the fatal event 
he was never known to smile. 

" There was little alteration in the conduct of the 
Spaniard. At the best of times he was a dogged, 
discontented man ; and these disagreeable traits in 
his character were now more apparent than ever. 
When below, at night, he would frequently jump up 
before the watch was called, and go on deck, utter- 
ing imprecations upon his hard fate. With these 
exceptions, scarcely any change had taken place in 
his conduct. 

" Nearly a month after the loss of Grimsley, I was 
sitting between the man-ropes keeping a look-out. 
It was a fine moonlight night. The starboard watch 
was below. All who were on deck, except myself 
and Mr. Rockford, were asleep under the bulwarks, 
ready for a call. This was not generally allowed; 
but the mate, who was pacing the quarter-deck in 
moody silence, did not appear to notice it. I was 
reflecting upon the fate of poor Grimsley, and think- 
ing over the suspicious circumstances connected with 



88 . grimsley's ghost. 

it, when I saw the figure of a man, in a dark wind- 
ing-sheet, slowly steal up from the forecastle. His 
tread was noiseless and stealthy. A cold tremor ran 
through my blood. I could see him stride aft like a 
dim shadow toward the weather side of the quarter- 
deck, where the mate stood. The dreadful thought 
flashed upon me that it was the spirit of my deceased 
comrade. Faint with horror, and possessed by an 
unaccountable desire to see the face of the ghostly 
figure, I followed it aft. When I reached the quar- 
ter-deck, a sight more fearful than the dead itself 
met my view. The man at the helm was clinging 
to the wheel, haggard with fright. Mr. Rockford 
stood with his face toward the taffrail, motionless, as 
if transfixed to the spot. His eyes were strained till 
they seemed bursting from their sockets ; his cheeks 
were livid and bloodless ; his teeth firmly set. The 
cold, pale rays of the moon glanced upon his features, 
increasing their ghastliness. It was a spectacle of 
appalling wildness. I felt the blood freeze in my 
veins as I gazed upon him : so great was my hor- 
ror, that I clung to a rope to support myself. Gaunt, 
stiff, speechless, he stood before me. 

" ' See, see ! it moves !" he suddenly exclaimed. 
'There! See it! Oh, my God!' And, with a 
deep groan, he staggered back against the bulwarks. 

" I immediately ran to his assistance. He was 
cold and inanimate. I awoke the men on deck, and 
we carried him below. The captain, by chafing his 
temples, brought him to his senses. That night he 



ALTERCATION ON BOARD. 89 

remained in the cabin without uttering a word. No 
explanation of what he had seen could be obtained 
from him. The man at the wheel stated that a figure 
in a loose dark robe had brushed past him, but he 
was so frightened he could not recollect its height, or 
the direction in which it went. 

" In a few days Mr. Rockford was again on duty. 
There was a frightful change in his appearance. He 
walked the decks a living skeleton. His eyes were 
sunken, though they still retained their unearthly, 
melancholy expression. More silent, more thought- 
ful than ever, he now seemed to care very little about 
the affairs of the ship. For hours he would stand 
leaning against the bulwarks buried in revery. No 
one chose to disturb him ; few even spoke to him. 
The care of the ship devolved principally on the 
captain, who vainly endeavored to prevail on Mr. 
Rockford to go below. 

" Nothing occurred to change this state of things 
for several days. The mate continued under the same 
fearful depression of mind. An unnatural gloom 
hung over the whole ship's crew. 

" One evening the second mate got into an alter- 
cation with a fore-mast hand named Watkins, who 
was considered a good boxer. The officer attempt- 
ed to rope's-end him. Watkins knocked him down. 
This was too heinous an offense to be passed over. 
The offender was handcuffed, and confined in the 
run. 

" In the middle of the night the captain, and all 
M 



90 NOISE IN THE HOLE. 

who slept in the cabin, were startled by a loud ham- 
mering under the cabin-deck. These noises were 
followed by groans, and then the half-smothered voice 
of Watkins, who had his mouth to the run-hatch, was 
heard crying, • Take me out of this hole ; for God's 
sake, take me out before I'm murdered !' 

" The hatch was lifted off, and Watkins, though 
no coward, crept out, shaking as if he had an ague. 
" ' What's the matter V demanded the captain, 
angrily. 

" ' Oh, sir, don't put me in the run again. I'll be 
murdered if you do. I saw him — saw something 
horrible !' 

" ' What did you see V cried the captain, turning 
pale. 

" ' A dead man !' replied Watkins, and his teeth 
chattered with fear. 

" ' Fetch a light here,' said the captain, in a voice 
of deep solemnity. 

" The light was handed to him, and, accompanied 
by the steward, he descended into the run. After 
a thorough search, without seeing any thing of the 
apparition, he came up, cursing the cowardly fears 
of Watkins. Mean time, while all this was going 
on, Mr. Rockford stood leaning against the ladder, 
awaiting the result of the search with haggard looks. 
" ' Mr. Rockford,' said the captain, ' go down there, 
and try if you can see what this fool is raving about.' 
" ' I'd rather not, sir,' replied the mate, with a shud- 
der. 



STRUGGLE BELOW. 91 

" ' What ! are you afraid too V 

" ' No/ replied the mate, gloomily, ' I'm not afraid ; 
but I have a horror of that place ;' and his agitation 
increased. A cold perspiration stood upon his fore- 
head. 

" ' Mr. Rockford,' said the captain, sternly, ' will 
you set such an example of cowardice to the crew?' 

" The mate made no reply, but seemed buried in 
thought. At length he determined to go down into 
the run alone. He took the light in his hand, and, 
forbidding any one to follow him, descended. Half 
an hour elapsed. The captain grew impatient. 
Three quarters of an hour passed, and the smothered 
sounds of voices and blows, as if two men were en- 
gaged in a desperate struggle, issued from the hatch- 
way. The light was suddenly blown out, there was 
a heavy fall, a groan, and all was silent ! 

" ' A light ! another light !' cried the captain, trem- 
bling with horror ; ' quick ! Good God ! what's the 
matter 1 Mr. Rockford, speak ! answer !' 

" ' He's dead ! he's killed, sir !' exclaimed Watkins, 
who had been peering down through the hatch- 
way. 

" Another light was quickly produced, and the 
captain, followed by several of the affrighted men, 
who were afraid to remain alone in the cabin, de- 
scended into the run. The feeble rays of the lamp 
fell upon an object that struck the boldest aghast. 

" Mr. Rockford, stretched on his back, his hands 
convulsively clinched, his features horribly distorted, 



92 SPANIARD CONFINED. 

lay bleeding in the bottom of the run. There was a 
fearful gash across his forehead, from which the blood 
streamed down, disfiguring his face and dyeing his 
clothes. Upon attempting to remove him, he fell 
into a phrensy, shrieking, 

" ' Take him away ! take him away ! He wants 
to kill me. Save me ! save me !' 

" As soon as this dreadful paroxysm was over he 
was carried up and placed in his berth. In the 
course of the night he recovered his senses, but 
seemed to have lost the faculty of speech. 

" For upward of a week he was confined to the 
cabin, nor could he be prevailed upon by entreaties 
or by threats to utter a single word in relation to 
what he had seen, or by whom the wound in his fore- 
head had been inflicted. 

" I now thought it time to disclose what I knew 
of Grimsley's death. The utmost surprise was mani- 
fested throughout the ship. So great was the in- 
dignation of the crew, that it required the severest 
exercise of the captain's authority to restrain them 
from taking summary vengeance on the supposed 
murderers of their comrade. 

" On the strength of my evidence the Spaniard 
was arrested and put in irons. Mr. Rockford was 
left at liberty in the cabin, but peremptorily forbidden 
to go on deck. Watkins was released, with a severe 
reprimand to behave himself better in future. 

" We continued our cruise without any thing far- 
ther occurring for nearly a month. The events 



ROCKFORD MISSING. 93 

which had created such commotion among us had 
almost ceased to be topics of conversation, and we 
began to look forward to the end of our cruise and 
the comforts of home. This state of tranquillity was 
suddenly interrupted by the disappearance of the 
mate. In a fit of insanity he had noiselessly let him- 
self down from one of the cabin ports by a rope. 
Several hours elapsed before he was missed. A search 
was made, and all that was discovered was the rope 
as he had left it. 

" On the same night the Spaniard, who was con- 
fined in the run, awoke the captain and officers by 
his groans. He was taken out in a pitiable condi- 
tion. Reduced to a skeleton by confinement and an 
evil conscience, his face was now blanched with fear, 
and his eyes sunken and restless. When asked what 
had occurred, he replied, that, in turning over in his 
sleep, he had touched something cold, which he took 
to be the head of a corpse, clammy with blood. His 
groans brought the officers to his relief. 

" It was not long before this new alarm was cir- 
culated throughout the ship. Every one believed she 
was haunted by the ghost of poor Grimsley. The 
crew, driven to madness by the horrible sights which 
had been witnessed, assembled in a body, and refused 
to do duty until a thorough search should be made. 

" All the next day we were engaged in breaking 
out the casks and ship's stores from the fore-peak to 
the run. The strictest search was made. In the 
run we discovered a few blood stains, and the marks 



94 Spaniard's 1 confession. 

of a bloody hand all along the lower tier of casks 
from the run to the forecastle. 

" You may be sure these mysterious marks did not 
quiet our fears. Men were afraid to be alone for a 
single moment. There was nothing talked of but 
the mysterious visits of Grimsley, and the blood 
stains, with narrations of deeds committed on the 
lonely deep in the dead of night. The darkest 
tragedies possessed a peculiar interest now. The 
more fearful they were the better they suited the ex- 
cited listeners, who in groups around the forecastle 
passed away the long night-watches dwelling upon 
deeds of blood. By keeping together in this way, 
and occupying our minds with marvelous tales of 
the tragic and the supernatural, we contrived, in 
some measure, to quiet each other's fears. 

" While things were in this state the Spaniard was 
taken ill of a fever. Apprehensive that he was about 
to die, he made a confession of his crimes. His nar- 
rative was brief, but thrilling. 

" He had commenced his career of villany in a 
Portuguese slaver at Mozambique. The vessel and 
her living cargo were taken by a man-of-war on the 
coast of Brazil, and among others punished for their 
part in the illegal traffic, he was sentenced to serve 
seven years in one of the government frigates. In 
a few months after he made his escape, and joined 
a Spanish pirate. For three years he served in her, 
among the West India Islands, and joined in the 
most atrocious deeds of bloodshed and rapine. He 



MYSTERY EXPLAINED. 95 

eventually robbed the captain, and made his escape, 
in an American whaler, to the Spanish Main. Here 
he gambled away his ill-gotten gains. Reduced to 
the last extremity, he worked his passage to the Uni- 
ted States in a merchantman. Still apprehensive of 
arrest, he shipped in the whaler in which he now 
narrated his crimes. 

" Soon after she left port he was sounded by the 
mate, Mr. Rockford, who, finding him willing to com- 
mit any crime, however foul, entered into a compact 
with him to murder Grimsley, promising him a suit- 
able reward. An opportunity occurred on the night 
of the squall. Grimsley was out on the foot-rope 
with him, furling the jib. The Spaniard stabbed his 
victim in the back, and the subsequent cry of ' a man 
overboard' was the result. Had the body of the 
murdered man been found, the perpetrator of the 
deed could have been discovered at once. 

" Fearing, from the change in the conduct of the 
mate, that he was about to confess the crime, and 
thus expose him, the Spaniard determined to murder 
him also. In pursuance of this design, he one night 
disguised himself in a Spanish cloak which he had 
in his chest, and while he thought the crew all 
asleep, walked aft. As he was about to accomplish 
his purpose, he became alarmed lest the man at the 
helm should recognize him, and rushing past both 
the officer and the affrighted man, concealed him- 
self in the stern-boat. During the confusion that 
followed he regained the forecastle unobserved, hid 



96 " yarn" finished. 

his cloak, and appeared among the crew. The 
subsequent occurrences in the run were occasioned 
by a plan which he had devised to frighten the cap- 
tain and crew, in the hope of making them abandon 
the vessel, or put into port at some neighboring isl- 
and. He had effected an entrance through the bulk- 
heads separating the forecastle from the main hold, 
and, by dint of hard exertion, worked his way be- 
tween the tiers of casks to the run. All the myste- 
rious appearances that followed were easily account- 
ed for. In his struggle with the mate, he inflicted 
the gash which had occasioned so much horror and 
surmise. The marks of blood on the casks were 
made as he crept back to the forecastle. 

" On the night of his confession the Spaniard died. 
He was buried without the customary ceremonies. 

" Our cruise was soon over. The gloom which 
pervaded the ship did not pass away until we were 
once more surrounded by the pleasures of home. 

" It is now many years since these events trans- 
pired ; but the tragical incidents of my first voyage 
are still vivid in my memory. I have spun my yarn. 
You have seen that the mysterious visitor was no 
ghost, after all, and if you do not choose to believe 
a matter-of-fact narrative of actual events, you are 
welcome to your doubts. So much for 'Bob Grims- 
ley's Ghost.'" 



During the recital of this tragical story the crew 
had huddled up close to the narrator, and it was 



ARRIVAL AT PICO. 97 

amusing to witness the apprehensive looks with 
which they started when the least noise was made 
behind them. I can not say that Ned Harrison's 
yarn, take it all in all, had a very cheering effect 
upon any of us. The fun of the evening was over. 
A damper was thrown over the spirits of the com- 
pany, and the men talked to each other in low and 
earnest voices, as if fearful that Bob Grimsley's ghost 
would suddenly make its appearance. 

At this moment, when we were all deeply involv- 
ed in the blues, our boat arrived from the barque, 
and the captain's order to "man the waist-boat" put 
an end to the " gam." 

A few days after our departure from Terceira we 
passed St. George's and Gratiosa, and entered the 
channel between Pico and Fayal. The Island of 
Pico, on a nearer view, increases in picturesque 
beauty. The shores, generally, are barren and 
rocky. Higher up are farms and cottages, and the 
still more elevated grounds are covered with vine- 
yards, forming a pleasing contrast to the wilder por- 
tions of the scene. Fayal, the chief commercial isl- 
and of the Azores, lies in a northwardly direction 
from Pico. The Villa Orta, or principal town, is 
situated in a beautiful little harbor, formed by two 
points, called Ponta Esplamanca, and Nostra Signora 
de Guia, on that side of the island opposite Pico. 
It derives quite a respectable appearance, in a com- 
mercial point of view, from the number of vessels 
lying at anchor at this season of the year. A British 

N 



98 paddy's dialogue. 

steam-frigate, an American steamer, a Portuguese 
man-of-war, several whaling vessels, and merchant- 
men were in port when our barque visited this island. 
The wharf presents a spectacle rather novel to one 
who views such scenes for the first time. Fish-boats, 
lighters, and bum-boats may be seen at all times of 
the day buffeting the surf; and hundreds of bare- 
legged Portuguese rushing into the water to dis- 
charge freight, or load them, give animation and 
liveliness to the scene. 

Our list of sick had by this time extended to four, 
three of whom it was found necessary to land. 
Among these was an Irishman, who, during our 
cruise, had made himself conspicuous for his stupid- 
ity and laziness. I was sorry, however, that he was 
about to leave us, for his bulls afforded us all great 
amusement. I recollect a dialogue between him and 
the captain, which would have delighted poor Power. 

" Paddy," said the captain, " what countryman are 
you 1 You are down on the papers as an American; 
but you must be an Englishman, I guess." 

" Be gor, sir ! I'm no Englishman ; divil a bit. 
I'm an Amirican." 

" Whereabouts in America were you born V 

" Wasn't I born at saa, sir 1 To be sure I was ; 
and bad 'scess to the dhrop of English blood have I 
in me." 

" Oh, then, you've been to sea before ? Did you 
ever cross the line V 

" Cross the line ! An' it's myself that did. 



CROSSING THE LINE. 99 

Haven't I been two voyages to the Wist Indies from 
Philadelphia?" 

" What line did you cross going from Philadel- 
phia?" 

" The equathur, be gor !" 

" None of your lies, Paddy ! You've never been 
across the equator." 

" Be the hoky-poker, I have, sir ! Divil a lie am 
I tellin' ye !" 

" Why, how could you cross the equator in a pass- 
age from the northward to the West India Islands !" 

" Arrah ! how should I know, sir ? barrin' the cap- 
tain made a little hit of a misthake !" 

Paddy often reminded me of the man who had 
seen a horse eighteen feet high ; for whatever he 
said, no matter how marvelous, he would boldly ad- 
here to. 

During our stay at the Island of Terceira, Smith, 
who had been off duty nearly the whole of our cruise 
up to that date, asked permission to go ashore. It 
was well understood by the captain and officers that 
he intended to desert, for he made no secret of it; 
and even went so far as to tie up a bundle of clothes 
in his handkerchief, and carry it aft under his arm. 
Thinking this a good opportunity to get rid of him, 
without the expense of putting him asliore at the 
Villa Orta, which would not be less than forty dol- 
lars, the captain willingly gave him permission, tell- 
ing him, as a matter of form, to be down at the boat- 
landing by sundown. Smith bid us all good-by, and 



100 CONSULAR ATTENTION. 

was taken ashore in the waist-boat. The last I saw 
of him at that time, he was slowly dragging his ema- 
ciated limbs up the rocks. 

On our arrival at the Villa Orta a week after, I 
was surprised to find Smith down at the landing, 
shaking hands with his old shipmates. It appeared 
that the vice-consul at Angra, to whom he had ap- 
pealed, finding him in a destilute condition, had sent 
him over to Fayal in a fishing-smack, where he ar- 
rived a few days in advance of the Styx. There he 
#made his complaint to the consul, who, of course, as 
is customary with consuls who have dealings with 
the masters of vessels, would have nothing to do 
with him. Some of the Portuguese took pity on 
him, and gave him lodgings. He was in a wretched 
condition when I saw him. The mate, by order of 
the captain, told me to advise him to make himself 
scarce without delay, or he would be taken on board 
again, and punished as a deserter. I did so, believ- 
ing his sufferings, under any circumstances, could 
not be worse on the island than they would be if he 
should again be taken on board the barque. I never 
saw him again. 

My comrade, W , of whose sufferings during 

our cruise I have spoken at some length, being en- 
tirely too unwell to resume duty, was one of the 
number about to be left ashore. We had commenced 
the voyage with visionary dreams of romance and ad- 
venture. For many weeks past we had conversed 
together over the unfortunate step we had taken, and 



CARRIED ASHORE. 101 

anxiously looked forward for a change ; many weary 
nights had I watched by the side of my suffering 
friend; and, however poorly I had discharged my 
duty, I had the pleasure of knowing that every little 
attention was most gratefully felt. I was now about 
to part with my only friend in a foreign land, and 
among strangers, where a friend can best be appre- 
ciated. I need not s^that the parting was a pain- 
ful one. We gazed at each other with full eyes and 
throbbing hearts as he was about to be borne to the 

boat, but could not utter a word. Poor W had 

not spoken the whole morning. There was a deep, 
touching melancholy in his looks, far more eloquent 
than words. All his bright hopes of recovery seemed 
to vanish at the thought of our separation. That I 
might conceal every appearance of a weakness 
which is looked upon by sailors as unmanly, I busied 
myself about the decks, knowing, too, that it was use- 
less to repine. 

At ten o'clock the order was given to " Man the 
waist-boat!" I was glad enough that the boat to 
which I belonged was chosen, as it afforded me an 
opportunity of going ashore. The barque lay off and 
on, outside the harbor. We had a hard pull against 
a head wind before we reached the pier, which is 
close by the Portuguese fort. Here we were hailed 
by one of the government officers, who inquired the 
number of sick on board, and the nature of their 
complaints, stating that they would not be allowed 
ashore if afflicted with any contagious disease. Af- 



^02 •** CONSULAR FEES. 

ter waiting about an hour to see the American con- 
sul, Mr. Dabney, we returned to the barque, and put 
the invalids in the boat. 

On approaching within a few hundred yards of 
the pier, we were hailed by a government boat bear- 
ing the national flag. It contained two or three of- 
ficers, and the health doctor, a pompous and self- 
sufficient quack, who went Jkrough a burlesque ex- 
amination of the sick men, and then gave a permit, 
allowing them to be carried ashore. Here they were 
given up to the consul, who provided them with suit- 
able accommodations. The charges at Fayal for 
landing, &c., n-I was correctly informed, are as fol- 
lows : Fee to the health doctor, four dollars ; boat 
charges, ten dollars; for each sick man, thirty-six 
dollars, to be paid to the consul. 

I must here mention that it was with the utmost 

difficulty W had prevailed upon the captain to 

let him go at all. Being part owner in the barque, 
he was unwilling to lose any thing in the way of fees 
or government charges; and ever, till we arrived in 

sight of the Azores, had steadily answered all W 's 

petitions by the remark, " He might rot in the fore- 
castle /" I did not know at this period that the cap- 
tain had his eye upon a fine gold watch, which 

W had treasured for years past as a sacred 

token of affection from a dear relative. This watch 
had been committed to the captain's keeping soon 
after we left New Bedford. Fearing he could not 
get off on any other conditions, W offered it to 



COSTUMES OF FAYAL. THE PARTING. 103 

him to let him go ashore. In order to keep up some 
show of honesty, the captain replied " that he would 

keep the watch, but W could have it, after the 

voyage, by writing for it, and enclosing payment for 
his outfit and passage home /" 

Owing to the illness of my friend, I could devote 
but little time to examining the town of Orta. Still, 
I had an opportunity ^ seeing many things that in- 
terested me. The costume of the females struck me 
as being very uncouth. The lower classes wear hats 
made of straw ; and I saw several with coarse over- 
coats and round jackets. The elite, or fashionable 
ladies, conceal their faces in bonnets of such ample 
dimensions as to cover both head and shoulders. 

I spent the chief part of the day in attending upon 
the sick. The captain procured them a passage to 
the United States in a small American brig bound 
for Bangor, Maine. While at Fayal, the captain 
shipped three Portuguese and two American seamen 
in place of the sick. 

Late in the evening I bade a final good-by to my 
friend W , and returned to the barque much de- 
pressed in spirits. Before daylight next morning the 
light-house had faded from our sight, and, when the 
sun rose, it was with difficulty that we could discern 
on the horizon the Peak of Pico. I can not describe 
the feeling of utter loneliness that stole over me when 
once more on the bosom of the boundless ocean. 
Surrounded by a crew of brutal and illiterate Portu- 
guese, I felt that I was indeed alone. When I 



104 CAPTAIN IN HUMOR. 

thought of the many happy hours I had spent in 

W 's society; when I looked around me, and 

saw objects that reminded me of him, I felt that 

" Othello's occupation was gone !" 

The prospect before me was any thing but cheer- 
ing. I dreaded to think of the long voyage; a 
voyage which we had scarcely yet commenced. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Quarreling Aft.-^-A Row between the Captain and Mate. — Return 
to Fayal Annoyances. — Murderous Designs of the Cook. — Un- 
der Weigh for the Indian Ocean. — Monotony of the Passage. — 
Pastimes. — Canary Islands. — Horse Latitudes. — Grand Whale 
Chase. — Six Whales alongside. — Beautiful Effect of the Moon. 

A man like our captain, whose whole soul was 
wrapped up in dollars and cents, could not bear with 
much patience a continued run of bad luck. We 
had killed but one whale ; that disappointment alone 
was sufricient to render him cross-grained and ill- 
natured. The expense of landing the sick men was 
considerable ; and so grievously did it prey upon his 
mind, that for weeks after I seldom knew him to 
smile. Before we had reached the Azores, he had 
quarreled several times with the mate. These quar- 
rels now became more frequent and violent than ever. 
There was a sailor-like boldness about the brutality 
of the mate which the captain did not like. With 



HEN OVERBOARD. 105 

the one, meanness was the prevailing trait ; with the 
other, a devil-may-care roughness, in which he was 
open and above board. 

One calm day a hen flew overboard. Enos, a 
Portuguese, was on the main- topsail yard splicing an 
earing. Being a very expert swimmer, and glad of 
the excuse to take a dive, he jumped over after the 
unlucky hen. We were fanning along about a knot 
and a half an hour. The captain, hearing our shouts 
of laughter as we hauled Enos in with a rope, came 
rushing up the companion way, roaring at the mate 
to " lower away a boat !" We all knew he would 
as soon lose his best man as a hen, and we joked 
Enos (loud enough to be heard aft) about being 
guilty of such a. fowl piece of folly as to jump over- 
board after a hen. There was nothing that the cap- 
tain could take hold of in this ; but it irritated him. 
It happened that the mate was at work in the waist. 
Now, when captain and mate are not on the best 
terms, the latter generally has to bear the blame of 
every thing that goes wrong, and, of course, is the 
legitimate object of all the surplus ill humor of his 
sovereign master. 

" Mr. D , why didn't you lower a boat after 

that hen 1 I should think you'd have had sense 
enough to do that without waiting for me to tell you." 

" I received no orders to lower a boat, sir. The 
man jumped overboard without asking me, and if 
he's fool enough to risk his life for a hen, / can't 
help it. You'd better talk to him about it." 

O 



106 QUARREL ABOUT A HEN. 

" No, I'll talk to you !" cried the captain, very much 
enraged. " It was your duty to lower away a boat. 
Any man with an ounce of sense might know enough 
for that." 

This of course raised the mate's " pluck," and, 
turning from his work, he boldly faced the cap- 
tain. 

" Do you suppose I'd take the responsibility to 
lower a boat for a cursed old hen 1 No, I'll be hanged 
if I would. You'd be the first to flare up at it your- 
self. Now, sir, since you've begun a. jaw, I'll just tell 

you how we stand, Captain A . There has been 

too much of this fault-finding lately. I've done my 
best to suit you ; but, it appears to me, the more a 
man does to please you, the more you grumble. I've 
stood this long enough ; so I think it's about time 
for us to come to an understanding about it. The 
amount of it is, Til be d — d if Til suffer it any 
longer /" 

This was pretty determined language. It was 
such as the captain had not been used to ; for, ac- 
cording to his own account, his former mates would 
lick the planks he walked on ; and he had never had 
one to give him a back answer. He now began to 
draw in his horns. 

" When did I find fault, Mr. D ? Tell me a 

single instance." 

"You're always finding fault; that's enough. If 
we can't get along easier, the sooner we part the 
better. I know my place, sir, and I intend to do my 



NEW HANDS. 107 

duty; but I'll show you that I'm not to be brow r - 
beat and insulted !" 

Some more words of a like nature passed between 
them, which I did not hear. There was no damage 
done, however. Both captain and mate remained 
on the worst possible terms from that time forth. 
They seldom spoke, except on business matters, or 
upon subjects connected with the voyage. 

After a short cruise on the eastern ground we re- 
turned to Fayal to land another sick man. It was 
found necessary, when we formerly touched at the 
port xif Orta, to ship five new hands, two of whom 
were Americans, two Portuguese, and an English- 
man. We found them a very quarrelsome and dis- 
orderly set ; but the captain had a partiality for out- 
cast foreigners. We only remained in port a few 
hours, and I was not permitted to go ashore. I had 
the pleasure, however, of hearing that my friend 
W was rapidly improving in health. An addi- 
tion to the number in the forecastle was made this 
time in the place of the man who was left ashore, 
which made the crew consist of eight Portuguese, 
an Englishman, and four Americans. 

In the early part of our voyage we had for cook a 
mulatto man, who had served as a ward-room stew- 
ard on board the Peacock during the United States 
Exploring Expedition. Whether he had acquired 
the habit of grumbling from his man-of-war com- 
rades, or whether it was natural to him, I can not 
say; but a greater grumbler, or a more disagreeable 



108 CULINARY AFFABILITY. 

animal, I never had the misfortune to meet. In ad- 
dition to this, he had a most villanous and tyranni- 
cal temper, which continually developed itself in acts 
of injustice toward the crew. I had been too long 
living in slave states to bear very quietly the inso- 
lence of a negro, and on several occasions we came 
to pretty close quarters. I candidly confess, nothing 
but fear of the consequences prevented me from 
heaving the wretch overboard the first good chance. 
It was a source of continual annoyance to be thrown 
in this man's way, and particularly galling to my 
feelings to be compelled to live in the forecastle with 
a brutal negro, who, conscious that he was upon an 
equality with the sailors, presumed upon his equality 
to a degree that was insufferable. Finding I would 
not succumb to his insolence, as the other hands did, 
he took a most inveterate hatred to me, and did 
all in his power to render my situation unpleasant, 
by instilling into the minds of my comrades that I 
was a "broken-down dandy," who would lord it 
over them, if they would suffer me. As I had al- 
ways made it a point never to evince the least symp- 
tom of superiority, or pretend to any thing more than 
those around me, he failed to effect his object in this 
particular ; for I had the good fortune to be a general 
favorite. He next had recourse to another and a 
far more effective expedient. Our fare at the best 
of times was bad enough, and always scanty. When 
I had watch at the mast-head, or when it was my 
trick at the helm, he always managed to jilt me out 



A GOOD APPETITE. 109 

of my allowance, or give me the offal of the crew. I 
had heard too many complaints made to the cap- 
tain to hope for any thing from him in the way of 
redress. Many a night, after a hard day's work, 
have I turned in hungry enough to eat with rel- 
ish, had it been within my reach, the common dog- 
meat, upon which the pampered canine gentry of the 
cities luxuriate. The life I had led since I had ship- 
ped produced such a change in me as made me a 
mere animal. When I got any thing fit to eat, which 
was very rarely, I devoured it with the avidity of a 
starving wolf. I seldom dreamed of any thing at 
night but good Kentucky roast beef, peaches and 
cream, pumpkin pies, and all the luxuries of western 
life. 

Trifling as such things as these may appear to 
those who live ashore, where the poorest can by in- 
dustry obtain abundance of the good things of life, 
they are not so trifling on board a whaler. I had 
seen the time when my fastidious taste revolted at a 
piece of good wholesome bread without butter, and 
many a time had I lost a meal by discovering a fly 
on my plate. I was now glad enough to get a hard 
biscuit and a piece of greasy pork; and it did not 
at all affect my appetite to see the mangled bodies 
of divers well-fed cockroaches in my molasses ; in- 
deed, I sometimes thought they gave it a rich flavor. 

On leaving Fayal the second time, this villanous 
cook, who had made such murderous attempts to 
starve me, was promoted steward, and a Portuguese 



110 LITERARY AMUSEMENTS. 

mulatto, belonging to the Cape de Verdes, was made 
cook. I need scarcely say that I heartily rejoiced 
in the change ; for I knew, let what would come, it 
could not be for the worse. 

We were now fairly under weigh for the Indian 
Ocean, each day making to the southward as fast as 
a clumsy barque, which never sailed more than six 
knots an hour, except in a gale, could carry us. The 
monotony of a long passage is known to every body 
who has ever read of the sea. Seldom is it relieved, 
except by a squall, a calm, a sail in sight, or some 
trifling adventure. Time hung very heavily on our 
hands, though we contrived various means to pass it 
away as pleasantly as possible. The chief resources 
I had for driving dull care away were reading, draw- 
ing, writing in my journal, eating whenever I could 
get any thing to eat, and sleeping whenever the Por- 
tuguese would give me a chance. As to reading, I 
was necessarily compelled to read whatever I could 
get. Unfortunately, I had brought neither books nor 
papers with me, so that I had to depend entirely 
upon the officers, none of whom were troubled with 

a literary taste. Mr. D , the first mate, who was 

very friendly toward me, had a bundle of old Phila- 
delphia weeklies, which I read over a dozen times, 
advertisements and all. The cooper, a young man 
from New Bedford, was by far the most intelligent 
man aft. His stock of literature consisted of a tem- 
perance book, a few Mormon tracts, and Lady 
Dacre's Diary of a Chaperon. I read these till I al- 



captain's piety. Ill 

most had them by heart. The captain himself was 
an illiterate man, " wise in his own conceit." He 
had the reputation at home of being a pious man ; 
and, as some evidence of this, I procured from one 
of the officers a work belonging to him of a religious 
character. I can not say, however, that his conduct 
was in strict conformity with the reputation he had 
gained as a man of piety. One of my shipmates had 
a Bible ; another, the first volume of Cooper's Pilot; 
a third, the Songster's own Book; a fourth, the 
Complete Letter Writer ; and a fifth claimed, as his 
total literary stock, a copy of the Flash newspaper, 
published in New York, in which he cut a conspicu- 
ous figure as the " Lady's Fancy Man." I read and 
re-read all these. Every week I was obliged to com- 
mence on the stale reading, placing the latest read 
away till I systematically arrived at them again, when 
they were pretty fresh, considering the number of 
times they had been overhauled. When I became 
thoroughly satiated with the fresh and stale, I had 
recourse to drawing, at which I considered myself 
somewhat of an amateur. My stock of implements 
consisted of a short stump brush, a few ounces of 
black-lead, a piece of Indian ink, and a pen. Some 
of my shipmates, who had never seen any drawings 
in the mezzotinto style, took a great fancy to my 
little productions, and insisted upon having speci- 
mens for their sweethearts. By humoring them to 
the best of my ability, I so far gained their good- 
will that they reciprocated my attempts by doing all 



112 LOVE-SICK MAKES THEM SEA-SICK ! 

my patching and mending, which was a very accept- 
able return, for I was not an expert hand at the 
needle. In the evening, after the decks were swept, 
I generally sat for an hour or two on the jib-boom 
playing the flute, or humming over favorite airs, 
many of which conjured up associations which were 
"pleasant, yet mournful to the soul." After one of 
the watches went below, we usually had a little 
gathering on the forecastle, and each of us told some- 
thing of his past life. In this way I learned the his- 
tory of all in the watch to which I belonged. Rum 
and love had done signal service in the way of driv- 
ing them to sea. 

October 8th. — At 10 P.M. we made Ferro, one 
of the Canary Isles, distant thirty miles off the lee 
bow. In the evening three of the Canaries were 
visible : Palma, Gomerra, and Ferro. Our course 
was south-southeast, and lay twenty miles from the 
nearest, at which distance it had a blue, indistinct, 
and rugged outline. 

While in the vicinity of these islands we were 
visited by great numbers of birds, resembling in ap- 
pearance the American swallow. Several Canary 
birds also flew on board, some of which we succeed- 
ed in catching. 

October 12th. — Entered the horse latitudes. This 
part of the Atlantic, I was told, derived its name from 
the fact, that vessels on their passage from Arabia, 
with Arabian horses on board, had frequently been 
reduced to the necessity of throwing them overboard, 



SIGHT OF WHALES. 115 

owing to the scarcity of water, produced by long and 
continued calms. 

October 13th. — " There she blows !" was sung out 
from the mast-head. 

" Where away V s demanded the captain. 

" Three points off the lee bow, sir." 

"Raise up your wheel. Steady !" 

" Steady, sir." 

" Mast-head ahoy ! Do you see that whale now V 1 

" Ay, ay, sir ! A school of sperm whales ! There 
she blows ! There she breaches !" 

" Sing out ! Sing out every time !'-' 

" Ay, ay, sir ! There she blows ! There— there 
— tliar she blows — bowes — bo-o-o-s !" 

" How far off!" 

" Two miles and a half!'* 

" Thunder and lightning ! so near ! Call all hands ! 
Clew up the fore-t'gallant-sail — there ! belay ! Hard 
down your wheel ! Haul aback the main yard ! 
Get your tubs in your boats. Bear a hand ! Clear 
your falls ! Stand by all to lower ! All ready ?" 

" All ready, sir !" 

" Lower away !" 

Down went the boats with a splash. Each boat's 
crew sprang over the rail, and in an instant the 
larboard, starboard, and waist boats were manned. 
There was great rivalry in getting the start. The 
waist-boat got off in pretty good time ; and away 
went all three, dashing the water high over their 
bows. Nothing could be more exciting than the 



116 



THE CHASE. 



chase. The larboard boat, commanded by the mate, 
and the waist-boat, by the second mate, were head 
and head. 

" Give way, my lads, give way !" shouted P , 

our headsman ; " we gain on them ; give way ! A 
long, steady stroke ! That's the way to tell it !" 

" Ay, ay !" cried Tabor, our boat-steerer. " What 
d'ye say, boys 1 Shall we lick 'em V 

"Pull! pull like vengeance!" echoed the crew; 
and we danced over the waves, scarcely seeming to 
touch them. 




The chase was now truly soul-stirring. Some- 
times the larboard, then the starboard, then the waist- 
boat took the lead. It was a severe trial of skill 
and muscle. After we had run two miles at this 



WHALES AT HAND ! 117 

rate, the whales turned flukes, going dead to wind- 
ward. 

" Now for it, my lads !" cried P . " We'll 

have them the next rising. Now pile it on ! a long, 
steady pull ! That's it ! that's the way ! Those 
whales belong to us. Don't give out! Half an 
hour more, and they're our whales !" 

The other boats had veered off at either side of 
us, and continued the chase with renewed ardor. In 
about half an hour we lay on our oars to look round 
for the whales. 

" There she blows ! right ahead !" shouted Tabor, 
fairly dancing with delight. 

" There she blows ! There she blows !" 

" Oh, Lord, boys, spring !" cried P . 

" Spring it is ! What d'ye say, now, chummies 1 
Shall we take those whales V 

To this general appeal every man replied by put- 
ting his weight on his oar, and exerting his utmost 
strength. The boat flew through the water with in- 
credible swiftness, scarcely rising to the waves. A 
large bull whale lay about a quarter of a mile ahead 
of us, lazily rolling in the trough of the sea. The 
larboard and starboard boats were far to leeward of 
us, tugging hard to get a chance at the other whales, 
which were now blowing in every direction. 

" Give way ! give way, my hearties !" cried P -, 

putting his weight against the aft oar. " Do you 
love gin 1 A bottle of gin to the best man ! Oh, 
pile it on while you have breath ! pile it on !" 



118 GETTING SQUALLY. 

" On with the beef, chummies ! Smash every oar! 
double 'em up, or break 'em !" 

" Every devil's imp of you, pull ! No talking ; lay 
back to it ; now or never !" 

On dashed the boat, cleaving its way through the 
rough sea as if the briny element were blue smoke. 
The whale, however, turned flukes before we could 
reach him. When he appeared again above the sur- 
face of the water, it was evident that he had milled 
while down, by which manceuver he gained on us 
nearly a mile. The chase was now almost hopeless, 
as he was making to windward rapidly. A heavy, 
black cloud was on the horizon, portending an ap- 
proaching squall, and the barque was fast fading from 
sight. Still we were not to be baffled by discourag- 
ing circumstances of this kind, and we braced our 
sinews for a grand and final effort. 

" Never give up, my lads !" said the headsman, in 
a cheering voice. " Mark my words, we'll have that 
whale yet. Only think he's ours, and there's no 
mistake about it, he will be ours. Now for a hard, 
steady pull ! Give way !" 

" Give way, sir ! Give way, all !" 

" There she blows ! Oh, pull, my lively lads ! 
Only a mile off! There she blows !" * 

The wind had by this time increased almost to a 
gale, and the heavy black clouds w 7 ere scattering 
over us far and wide. Part of the squall had passed 
off to leeward, and entirely concealed the barque. 
Our situation was rather unpleasant : in a rough sea, 



TAKING A WHALE. 121 

the other boats out of sight, and each moment the 
wind increasing. 

We continued to strain every muscle till we were 
hard upon the whale. Tabor sprang to the bow, 
and stood by with the harpoon. 

" Softly, softly, my lads," said the headsman. 

" Ay, ay, sir !" 

"Hush-h-h! softly. Now's your time, Tabor!" 

Tabor let fly the harpoon, and buried the iron. 

" Give him another !" 

" Ay, ay ! Stern all !" 

" Stern all !" thundered P . 

« Stern all !" 

And, as we rapidly backed from the whale, he 
flung his tremendous flukes high in the air, covering 
us with a cloud of spray. He then sounded, making 
the line whiz as it passed through the chocks. When 
he rose to the surface again, we hauled up, and the 
second mate stood ready in the bow to dispatch him 
with lances. 

" Spouting blood /" said Tabor. "He's a dead 
whale ! He won't need much lancing." It was true 
enough ; for, before the officer could get within dart 
of him, he commenced his dying struggles. The sea 
was crimsoned with his blood. By the time we had 
reached him, he was belly up. We lay upon our 
oars a moment to witness his last throes, and, when 
he had turned his head toward the sun, a loud, simul- 
taneous cheer burst from every lip. 

o, 



J 22 



PREPARATION FOR A SQUALL. 




A low, rumbling sound, like the roar of a distant 
waterfall, now reached our ears. Each moment it 
grew louder. The whole expansive arch of the 
heavens became dark with clouds tossing, flying, 
swelling, and whirling over and over, like the surges 
of an angry sea. A white cloud, gleaming against 
the black mass behind it, came sweeping toward us, 
stretching forth its long, white arms, as if to grasp us 
in its fatal embrace. Louder and still louder it 
growled ; yet the air was still and heavy around us. 
Now the white cloud spread, whirled over, and lost 
its hoary head; now it wore the mane and fore 
feet of a lion ; now the heads of a dragon, with their 
tremendous jaws extended. Writhing, hissing, roar- 
ing, it swept toward us. The demon of wrath could 
not have assumed a more frightful form. The whole 



THE SQUALL. 123 

face of the ocean was hidden in utter darkness, save 
within a circle of a few hundred yards. Our little 
boat floated on a sea almost unruffled by a breath 
of wind. The heavy swell rolled lazily past us ; yet 
a death-like calmness reigned in the air. Beyond 
the circle all was strife; within, all peace. We 
gazed anxiously in each other's faces; but not a 
word was spoken. Even the veteran harpooneer 
looked upon the clouds with a face of unusual so- 
lemnity, as we lay upon our oars, awed to silence by 
the sublimity of the scene. The ominous stillness 
of every thing within the circle became painful. For 
many long minutes the surface of the water remain- 
ed nearly smooth. We dreaded, but longed for a 
change. This state of suspense was growing intol- 
erable. I could hear the deep, long-drawn respira- 
tions of those around me ; I saw the quick, anxious 
glances they turned to windward; and I almost 
fancied I could read every thought that passed within 
their breasts. Suddenly a white streak of foam ap- 
peared within a hundred yards. Scarcely had we 
unshipped our oars, when the squall burst upon us 
with a stunning violence. The weather side of the 
boat was raised high out of the water, and the rush- 
ing foam dashed over the gunwale in torrents. We 
soon trimmed her, however, and, by hard bailing, got 
her clear of water. It is utterly impossible to con- 
ceive the violence of the wind. Small as the sur- 
face exposed to the squall was, we flew through the 
foaming seas, dragging the dead body of the whale 



124 NEARER THE WHALE THAN THE VESSEL. 

after us with incredible velocity. Thus situated, en- 
tirely at the mercy of the wind and sea, we con- 
tinued every moment to increase our distance from 
the barque. When the squall abated, we came to 
under the lee of the whale, and looked to leeward 
for the barque. Not a speck could be seen on the 
horizon ! Night was rapidly approaching, and we 
were alone upon the broad, angry ocean ! 

"Ship your oars," said the headsman; "we'll not 
part company with old Blubber yet. If we can't 
make the barque, we can make land somewhere." 

" Ay, ay," said Tabor, with a sly leer, " and live 
on roast-beef and turkey while we're making it." 

With heavy hearts and many misgivings we ship- 
ped our oars, heartily wishing the whale in the devil's 
try-pots ; for we thought it rather hard that our lives 
should be risked for a few barrels of oil. For two 
hours we pulled a long, lazy, dogged stroke, without 
a sign of relief. At last Tabor stood up on the bow 
to look out, and we lay on our oars. 

"Well, Tabor, what d'ye see?" was the general 
inquiry. 

" Why," said Tabor, coolly rolling the quid from 
his weather to his lee cheek, " I see a cussed old 
barque that looks like Granny Howland's wash-tub, 
with a few broom-sticks rigged up in the middle of 
it." 

" Pull, you devils !" cried P ; " there's duff in 

the cook's coppers." 



CUT ACCORDING MANY WHALES, LITTLE OIL. 125 




" Yes ! I think I smell it," said Tabor. 

It was nearly dark when we arrived alongside of 
the barque with our prize ; but what was our sur- 
prise to find that the starboard and larboard boats 
had killed jive whales between them ! They were 
all of a small size, and did not average more than 
fifteen barrels each. 

That night not a breath of air ruffled the clear, 
broad ocean as it swelled beneath and around us, 
forming a multitude of mirrors that reflected all the 
beauties of the splendid canopy above. The moon 
arose with unusual brilliancy. It was a night for the 
winged spirits of the air. I enjoyed a melancholy 
pleasure in walking the decks beneath the soft moon- 
beams, thinking of past times. Silence reigned over 



126 POETICAL FIT. 

the deep. The calm, broad ocean presented a beauti- 
ful simile of repose, and the light, shadowy clouds 
floated motionless in the air, as if in awe of the 
mighty wilderness of waters beneath them. A clear, 
silvery light beamed over the glassy swell; and far 
away the moon's rays, casting their soft and delicate 
glow over the whole scene, gradually vanished in a 
dreamy haze upon the horizon. I gazed with pen- 
sive feelings upon this scene ; so calm, so heavenly, 
so unrivalled in its loveliness; and I thought, with a 
sigh, of the coming day : the fiery, tropical sun ; the 
loud, harsh voices of the officers giving orders ; the 
heat and smoke of the try-works ; and all the reali- 
ties of a whaleman's life. I have heard of the soli- 
tude of the desert ; but what can compare with that 
of the ocean at such a time as this 1 

Never had the sea looked more beautiful than it 
did that night. It was a source of pleasure to feel 
that, notwithstanding the wretched life I led, there 
were still left a few of the better feelings of my na- 
ture. A passage in the " Vision of Don Roderic" 
occurred to me as singularly expressive of the check- 
ered fortunes of a sea-farer. Well might I hope the 
light cloud which occasionally obscured the moon's 
brightness might prove a happy omen of my future 
fate: 

" Melting, as a wreath of snow it hangs 
In folds of wavy silver round, and clothes 
The orb in richer beauties than her own ; 
Then, passing, leaves her in her light serene." 

At daylight next morning all hands were called, 



" CUTTING IN." 127 

and set to work getting up the cutting tackle, and 
making other preparations for cutting in. As this 
process of " cutting in" seems to be but imperfectly 
understood by those who have not been engaged in 
the business, it would perhaps be well enough to de- 
vote a page or two of description to it in this place. 
When the whale has been towed alongside by the 
boats, it is firmly secured by a large rope attached to 
the " small" by a running noose. There is -not a 
little ingenuity in the manner in which the fluke 
rope is first passed under the body of the whale. A 
small line, to which a lead is fastened, with a block 
of wood at the extremity, several fathoms from the 
lead, is thrown over between the whale and the 
ship's side. From the impetus given to the lead, it 
sinks in a diagonal direction, drawing the block 
down after it. One end of the lead line is fastened 
to the end of the fluke rope on board, and the block 
attached to the other rises at the off side of the 
whale. It is then hauled on board by means of a 
wire hook fastened to a long pole, and, in hauling 
it in, the fluke rope passes round under the body of 
the whale, till the end arrives on board, when it is 
passed through the loop in the other extremity, and 
thus a running noose is formed, which is easily slip- 
ped down to the small. The fluke rope is then 
made fast on the forecastle, and the flukes are hauled 
up to the bow, or as near as they will reach, leaving 
the head pointed aft. Of course, the size of the ves- 
sel and the length of the whale make a great differ- 



128 " CUTTING IN." 

ence; but in general the head reaches to the quarter. 
To prevent concussion, the whale is always on the 
weather side. The progress of the vessel, which is 
usually under easy sail during the time of cutting in, 
keeps the whale from drifting out at right angles 
from the side ; though, in most cases, the head is 
kept in its appropriate position by a small rope made 
fast aft. 

The cutting tackle is attached to a powerful strap, 
or pendant, passing round the mast in the main-top 
by two large blocks. There are, in fact, two tackles, 
the falls of which pass round the windlass. To each 
of these tackles is attached a large blubber hook, 
which, upon being made fast to the blubber, are 
hauled up by the windlass, one only being in opera- 
tion at a time, so that when the first strip of blubber, 
or " blanket piece," reaches the stationary block on 
the pendant, the other can be made fast by a strap 
and bolt of wood to a hole cut below the point at 
which that blanket piece is to be cut off. I have 
endeavored to give some idea of this part of the 
process in the frontispiece accompanying the work. 
The blanket pieces are stripped off in a spiral direc- 
tion, running down toward the flukes ; the whale 
turning, at every heave of the windlass, till the whole 
covering of blubber is stripped off to the flukes, which 
are hoisted on board, and those parts containing oil 
cut away, and the remainder thrown overboard. 
The head having, in the first place, been cut off and 
secured to the stern, is now hauled up, with the nose 



" CUTTING IN." 129 

down, if too large to be taken on board, and hoisted 
as far out of the water as may be found convenient, 
and the oil or liquid spermaceti bailed out with a 
vessel attached to a long pole, and thus taken in and 
saved. As there is no little risk attending this mode 
of getting the spermaceti, and a great deal of waste, 
the head is always taken on board, when not too 
large or heavy. 

The " case," which is the name given by whalers 
to the head, sometimes contains from ten to fifteen 
barrels of oil and spermaceti. A single "blanket 
piece" not unfrequently weighs a ton or upward. In 
hauling it up by the tackles, it careens the vessel 
over frequently to an angle of fifteen or twenty de- 
grees, owing to its own great weight, combined with 
that of the whale, the upper surface of which it 
raises several feet out of the water. When the 
blanket piece has reached the stationary block in the 
top, it is cut off by a boat-steerer, who stands by 
with a boarding knife, having first, however, been 
secured below by the other blubber hook, which is 
hauled taught, to prevent it from breaking away by 
too sudden a jerk. The upper piece then swings 
in, and, when it ceases its pendulating motion, is 
dropped down into the hold or blubber-room, where 
it is cut up into blocks of a foot and a half or two 
feet in length, and eight or ten inches in width. 
These blocks are called " horse pieces." The white, 
hard blocks, containing but little oil, and which are 
found near the small, and at the flukes, are called 

R 



130 NEARLY MADE A MEAL OF. 

" white horse." The carcass of the whale, when 
stripped of its blubber, is cast loose, and soon sinks 
from the want of its buoyant covering. I have seen 
it float astern, however, some distance without sink- 
ing. 

Breakfast over, all hands were called to cut in. 
Six or eight men were stationed at the windlass, two 
in the blubber-room, and the boat-steerers in the 
waist. The first and second mates took their sta- 
tion on a couple of stages, or platforms, rigged out at 
the gangway, each provided with a spade. One of 
the boat-steerers, whose turn it was to fasten the 
blubber hook, went down over the side on the whale's 
back, and, after several unsuccessful attempts, and 
rather an uncomfortable ducking, performed his task. 
While yet on the whale's back, a large, hungry-look- 
ing shark, which had been eyeing him for some time 
very anxiously, was washed up behind him by a 
heavy sea, and apparently loath to lose so good an 
opportunity of making a meal, began to work his 
way along the slimy surface till within a foot or 
two of the boat-steerer's heels. The officers hap- 
pened at the moment to be looking up at the pend- 
ant block, and in all probability the man would have 
been seriously injured, if not carried off bodily, but 
for the timely alarm of one of the crew. The mate 
immediately turned to see what was the matter, and 
perceiving the critical position of the boat-steerer, 
brought his spade to bear upon the shark, and at a 
single dart chopped off his tail. Strange to say, the 



" turning" in sport. 131 

greedy monster did not appear to be particularly con- 
cerned at this indignity, but, sliding back into his 
native element, very leisurely swam off, to the great 
apparent amusement of his comrades, who pursued 
him with every variety of gyrations. It surprised me 
to see with what cool indifference the boat-steerer 
witnessed the whole transaction. I do not remem- 
ber that he said a word about it. 

The various duties being apportioned to the men 
without favor or choice, it fell to my lot to sit on the 
weather side of the quarter-deck and turn the grind- 
stone ; a tiresome and monotonous task. The cooper 
attended to the sharpening of the spades, boarding 
knives, and other implements used in " cutting in." 
I am not sure that I had the hardest of the work to 
do, but it certainly was the most unpleasant ; for I 
could not prevail upon any of the hands to change 
places with me, even for a brief period. My appear- 
ance at this time would have been somewhat strik- 
ing to some of my friends in Washington. With my 
duck frock all black with whale-gurry, my trowsers 
torn and smeared with rough work, my red Scotch 
cap half-way over my eyes, and my face oily and 
sunburned, I certainly looked as little like my original 
self as one can well imagine. There I turned that 
grindstone, and turned on hour after hour, and turned 
the palm of my right hand into a great blister, and 
turned the palm of my left into another ; turned both 
my arms into a personified pain ; turned every rem- 
nant of romance out of my head ; turned and turned 



132 a "turn" for sport. 

till my grand tour seemed to have turned into a 
grindstone ; round and round I turned that stone till 
I began to think I was a piece of the handle, and 
turned with it ; and my head appeared to turn, and 
my feet to turn, and the game-legged cooper to turn, 
and the ship to turn, and the sea, and the whale, and 
the sharks, and the clouds, and all creation seemed 
to be turning with myself and that grindstone ! 
Having at last contrived to get a sufficient number 
of spades sharpened ahead of the mates, I peeped 
over the quarter-rail to see how they were getting 
on. The sharks had by this time gathered around 
the vessel in immense numbers, and eight or ten 
were fighting just under the quarter for a piece of the 
whale's carcass which had been cut away. Watch- 
ing my opportunity, I snatched up a spade, slipped 
it over while the captain was forward, and began a 
terrible onslaught among the sharks. With five or 
six thrusts I killed four of the greedy monsters, by 
striking them on the back of the head, and cutting 
the principal artery. This was quite a refreshing 
little episode in my business of turning ; and my suc- 
cess in the destruction of sharks induced me to be- 
lieve that I had a greater natural turn for sport than 
the monotonous turning of a grindstone. But my 
amusement was of short duration. The eagle eye 
of the captain espied me before I could get in the 
long pole of the spade. 

" Ha ! what are you at there V cried his highness 
directly behind me, at the very moment when I sup- 



PRIVILEGED SHARKS. APOLLO AT SEA. 133 

posed he was on the forecastle giving orders to the 
men. " What are you at, hey ?" 

" Keeping off the sharks, sir." 

" Who told you to keep 'em off?" 

" Nohody, sir." 

" Haul in that spade directly !" 

" Ay, ay, sir !" 

" And, look'ee, if I catch you keepin' off any more 
sharks, I'll wipe you down with a rope's end !" 

" Ay, ay, sir !" 

" Cooper, hain't you got no work for this fel- 
low 1 

" Not just now, sir." 

" Go to the windlass, then, and rest yourself on a 
handspike !" 

" Ay, ay, sir !" 

I had reason to consider my shark-killing a poor 
speculation. The heaving and surging at the wind- 
lass was but a questionable improvement upon my 
old business of turning the grindstone. At the word, 
" Heave away !" somebody struck up an extempo- 
raneous song, which, to the best of my recollection, 
had no particular claims to poetical merit, but ran 
somewhat thus : 

" Heave him up ! O he yo ! 

Butter and cheese for breakfast 
Raise the dead ! O he yo ! 

The steward he's a makiu' swankey. 
Heave away ! O he yo ! 

Duff for dinner! Duff for dinner! 
Now I see it ! O he yo ! 

Hurrah for the Cape Cod gals ! 



134 AT it again: pleasant. 

Now I don't. O he yo ! 

Round the corner, Sally ! 
Up she comes ! O he yo ! 

Slap-jacks for supper ! 
Re — re — ra — ra — oo — we ye yo ho ! Them's 'um!" 

At the conclusion of this medley, the captain, 
who had seated himself in the starboard quarter boat 
to inspect the cutting, began to criticise the mate's 
style of cutting rather severely. Now the mate, be 
it known, was really a very skillful whaleman, and 
handled the spade with an unerring hand. The 
" old man's" comments, thus lowering him in the 
eyes of the crew, by no means pleased him. 

" I say, Mr. D ," persisted the captain, " that's 

not the way to cut in a whale. I don't want no 
such work as that about me." 

"It's my way, sir," replied the mate, getting very 
red in the face. 

"Well, I never see a whale cut that way. I ain't 
used to it ; I won't have it." 

" You haven't seen every thing yet, sir. I've al- 
ways cut whales this way, and always mean to 
do it." 

" No you won't ; not here you won't. You can 
just cut as I tell you." 

"I reckon I know my own business, Captain 

A . Now, sir, I'm not a going to be dictated to 

in this manner. If you think you can cut a whale 
better than I can, you'd better take my place." 

After some more angry words, during which both 
the captain and mate became much excited, and 



WHALING TOUR VS. TRAVELING. 135 

threatened to whip each other, the quarrel ceased, 
and the " old man" went below in high dudgeon. 

This was all " nuts" for me. I was rejoiced to 
see somebody among the privileged few talk up to 
him as he deserved. Indeed, I was itching to ex- 
press my own personal opinion on the subject, but 
had no particular fancy for the mode of "wiping 
down" hinted at a short time previously. 

Cutting in, trying out, and clearing up the decks, 
occupied us for the next six days. We had an 
average of five hours' sleep out of the twenty-four. 
Working incessantly in oil, which penetrated to the 
skin, and kept us in a most uncomfortable condition, 
besides being continually saturated with salt water, 
produced a very disagreeable effect upon those who 
were not accustomed to such things, by chafing the 
skin, and causing painful tumors to break out over 
the whole body. Before I had half finished my 
share of the labor, I heartily wished myself in the 
meanest dog-kennel ashore, or, to borrow an old 
idea, I should have considered myself in an enviable 
situation had some enemy been kicking me down 
Pennsylvania Avenue. Tabor, the oldest whaleman 
on board, who laughed at hardships, and took all the 
disagreeable parts of his duty with the utmost good- 
humor, frequently joked me on my " grand tour to 
Europe." 

" What do you think of whaling now, B ? 

Is it equal to traveling in Italy V 

"I think not, Tabor." 



136 SUDDEN LIBERALITY. RANCID BUTTER. 

" Tain't writing short-hand neither, is it ? I think 
you'd as lief be in Washington, with them thar big 
members of Congress, as blubber-hunting. Cutting 
figures with the pen ain't cutting blubber, by a con- 
siderable sight, is it 1" 

I freely acknowledged that, of the two sorts of 
cutting, I preferred cutting figures with the pen ; at 
which Tabor laughed most heartily, assuring me 
that " it was nothing when I'd get used to it. By'm- 
by I'd see what whaling was. This wasn't a cir- 
cumstance. I'd smell smoke yet. I'd begin to find 
out what some folks was at while others was riding 
about in chaises." 

We had an extra supply of meat on this occasion, 
with about a quarter of a pound of rancid butter, 
which was to be divided among all hands. This 
unusual liberality on the part of the captain aston- 
ished us all, and filled our hearts with gratitude. We 
took the saucer containing the precious morsel, and, 
seating ourselves in a circle round it, enjoyed our 
good fortune by various amusing comments upon 
the captain's unparalleled liberality. Of all things in 
the world, sailors despise most a stingy, thin-skinned 
captain. They will excuse cruelty, unnecessary 
hardship, or coarse and brutal language, for they be- 
come accustomed to it ; but any thing like stinginess 
or meanness they heartily detest. Bill Mann growl- 
ed like a sick bear, protesting, in his own peculiar 
style, that it was " the blamdest thing he ever saw 
done aboard any ship. He wished his soul might 



SAILOR COMMENTS. 137 

everlastin'ly stick fast in purgatory, if he wouldn't 
tell the counsel of it." Mack wanted to carry it 
back to him with the thanks of the crew, " hopin' 
he wouldn't rob himself, for the men was afraid to 
eat it, bein' as they had never seen any thing like it 
since they'd follered the sea." This proposition 
was negatived, and we at last agreed to mix the but- 
ter up with a pan of dirty bread and heave it over- 
board. The captain, who was sitting in the stern 
boat, chanced to spy the bread as it floated toward 
him, and seizing a pole with a small net attached to 
it, which he always kept in the boat, he hooked up 
every morsel of it. Owing to the round-house con- 
cealing him from our view, we knew nothing about 
this, till he came forward about fifteen minutes after, 
with a plate in his hand, containing what we sup- 
posed to be an additional treat for all hands. There 
was a fiendish smile of triumph visible about his lips, 
however, and a ferocity in his eyes that boded us 
no good. Holding the plate out toward us, he point- 
ed with his forefinger at the startling apparition of 
the resuscitated bread, and demanded, in a deep, 
distinct voice, 

" Which on ye did that, hey \ Look at it, every 
one o' ye ; examine it well. Did ye never see it be- 
fore, hey 1 Taste it ; it's got salt water in it, but 
it's good, hey \ A nice set of darned rascals ! Don't 
get enough to eat, hey ? I starve you, do I, hey t 
You don't like butter ; oh no, you can't eat it ! Nice 

S 



138 FISHING FOR VICTUALS. 

stomachs, I'll swan ! Whose work is this 1 Don't 
all answer at once ! Who did it?" 

No one answered. We all felt that we were 
guilty, and it is not to be wondered at that, taken 
aback so suddenly, we could account for the unex- 
pected reappearance of the bread and butter, which 
we had supposed was food for the sharks, in no other 
way than by presuming old Skinflint was in league 
with the devil. 

" Oh, you didn't do it, none on ye !" shouted the 
captain, letting loose his wrath. " It grew in salt 
water ! It w 7 asn't hove overboard at all ! Well ! 
take and eat it now ; and, mark my words, the first 
man I catch heavin' good vittals overboard, I'll heave 
him overboard !" With that he flung it down before 
us and walked aft, grieving over our depravity and 
his probable loss. From that time forth he used to 
sit in the stern boat for hours every day, dodging his 
net in the water at every thing that looked like bis- 
cuit or meat. Sometimes he would catch up what 
he didn't bargain for, and his low, half-smothered 
comments, audible only to the man at the wheel, 
would afford us infinite amusement. Patience and 
perseverance finally rewarded him with success. 
He had been at his post regularly three times every 
day for about a month, fishing up whatever attract- 
ed his insatiate eye, when one day he made a haul 
of a fine fat piece of pork. He jerked it in, chuck- 
ling over his good fortune, and muttering, " Aha ! 
I've caught you at last, you infernal scoundrels ! I'll 



WHO TROW DAT BRICK? 139 

give you fat pork to throw away in a hurry again !" 
Calling to the steward to pass up a fork, he spitted 
it handsomely, and carried it forward for our inspec- 
tion. Looking each of us hard in the face by turns, 
he demanded, in a voice of thunder, " Who hove 
the pork overboard V 

No answer. 

" Won't you tell me, you sheepheads V 

No answer yet. 

" You won't, eh It's your work, M'F V 

"No, sir, taint. Pork's scarce about these dig- 
gins. I don't throw away a good chunk when I 
get hold on't." 

" It's you then, Vernon. I'll skin you for it. I'll 
show you how to waste good meat, you worthless 
bullet-head. You don't earn your salt." 

" Twasn't I, sir. I was down in the forecastle." 

" Then you know who did it V 

" No, sir, I don't." 

" What the devil do you know ?" 

" I know I hadn't enough o' meat for dinner." 

" You hadn't, eh 1 Well, I'll see to it. You're a 
parcel of hogs, that's what you are ! Cook, from 
this time forth cut these men's meat up in small 
pieces, and just give 'em as many pieces as'll go 
round." 

"Ay, ay, sir." 

"Now I'll know when meat's wasted again, and 
why." So saying, he walked aft, satisfied at least 
that half a pound lost was a barrel gained. Wheth- 



140 SAILOR COURTESY. 

er the piece which he picked up had been thrown 
over purposely, or had fallen from the top of the ca- 
boose accidentally, I never could find out; but this 
much I know, our share of meat soon resembled the 
Irishman's dinner of "potatoes and point," barrin' 
the potatoes. 

It is customary, in most vessels, to give the watch- 
es their meals alternately, the watch below being 
served first. This prevents confusion and quarrel- 
ing. The watch on deck, when relieved, can then 
enjoy their meals at their leisure. Sailors generally, 
though any thing but deficient in appetite, have great 
respect for the decencies of civilized life on such oc- 
casions as these. I have never seen selfishness or 
greediness on board well-disciplined ships during 
meal times. On the contrary, it is surprising to find 
a very delicate sense of propriety among men who 
have had so few opportunities of cultivating the re- 
finements of social intercourse. I have often seen a 
well-behaved and orderly crew seated around the 
forecastle, eating their meals in peace and good-hu- 
mor, and each one neglecting no opportunity of ex- 
tending a courtesy to his shipmate. This is almost 
invariably the case where they are well treated by 
the captain and officers. Like children, they can 
be moulded to almost any thing ; and where a bad 
example is set aft, the best of them will be sure to 
follow it. No one who has never been to sea and 
witnessed such scenes, can conceive the importance 
of these little forms of politeness, and their happy 



SCRAMBLING FIRE. 141 

effects upon the crew. Where there is a kindly 
feeling on the part of every man toward his neigh- 
bors, the worst fare can be eaten with relish. 

How different it was with us ! We had been so 
accustomed to see quarreling between the captain 
and his officers, and so much discontent manifested 
by the latter about their meals, that it would have 
been a miracle if we had not imbibed the prevailing 
spirit. But we had our frailties too, and were not 
proof against the example of these high authorities. 
There was some excuse for us, however ; we really 
had something to be discontented about. The cap- 
tain had shipped a gang of voracious and filthy Por- 
tuguese, whose condition had never been better than 
that of swine, and with these uncultivated brutes we 
were compelled in self-defense to do the best we 
could for ourselves. It was degrading to the pride 
of those who were burdened with that inconvenient 
commodity to be obliged to rush like hungry wolves 
for a mouthful of meat at meal-times ; but there was 
no help for it. We either had to join in the strug- 
gle, or lose our allowance ; for it was seldom there 
was enough before us to satisfy half our number. 

Although it was no joke to be starved, I always 
found food for merriment when I could get nothing 
of a more substantial nature. The cook, in order to 
see fair play, generally watched his opportunity, and, 
when the hands were scattered around the forecas- 
tle, he would pitch the meat kid down on the deck, 
and sing out, at the top of his voice, "Meat ! meat] 



142 " MEAT OR NO MEAT V 

fall to, all hands !" This startling intelligence never 
required repetition. Those who were nearest would 
jump up and run toward the smoking morsel as if 
simultaneously stung by a score of wasps. Those 
who, unfortunately, happened to be at a distance, had 
no resource but to dart after their leaders in the rush, 
and, by dint of hard struggling, secure a place by the 
meat kid. There was something indescribably lu- 
dicrous in the earnestness with which we all entered 
into the contest. It was not exactly a struggle in- 
volving " life or death," but it was of scarcely less im- 
portance ; for " Meat, or no meat 1" was the grand 
question. Nor did we hesitate to resort to the most 
cunning expedients to obtain our fair proportion of 
the salt junk. When hard pressed, it was not un- 
usual to pick up a rival and carry him back ten or 
twelve paces, and, before he could regain his legs, 
take advantage of his absence, and get in six feet 
ahead of him. Some had been shouldered away so 
often in this manner by those who were larger and 
stouter, that hunger taught them a new expedient ; 
and they secured their share on several occasions by 
working in like eels under the legs of those who were 
ahead of them. Big John, the Portuguese, having 
the advantage of us all in size and strength, would 
sometimes make a clean sweep with his arms, and 
lay half a dozen of us sprawling on the deck ; but, 
being less greedy than the rest of the Portuguese, he 
never took more than his share, and only exerted his 
powers in this way for the sake of amusement. The 



GET WHAT YOU CAN. 145 

*'- down-easter," with characteristic sagacity, always 
managed to be in good time ; for, when a little be- 
hind, he would grab hold of somebody in advance of 
him, and, by hard pulling, keep him back till each 
had a fair start. He was not unfrequently served 
the same trick himself; and I have seen as many as 
three or four in a row endeavoring to drag each 
other back. Bill Mann, our chief grumbler, in a fit 
of indignation at such swinish proceedings, would 
look on, and protest, " If ever he got into port, he'd 
let the counsel know how things was carried on. 
He didn't care a bloody cent if he never got a bit to 
eat." It was a curious fact, however, that Bill never 
came to the latter conclusion until the superior activ- 
ity of his comrades had deprived him of the last 
chance. There was some fun, but a great deal more 
earnestness than fun, in these scrambles for food. To 
the landsman, and, indeed, to every sea-farer who 
has not been in a vessel of the same description, all 
this must look exaggerated and improbable ; for it is 
hard to conceive how men could become so utterly 
degraded as to conduct themselves with so little re- 
gard to the decencies of life. All I have to say is, 
that what I have endeavored to describe was in- 
duced by the laws of nature, and the description, if 
any thing, falls short of reality. I have shown that 
the captain paid no regard to our appeals. He in- 
variably favored the Portuguese, because they cringed 
to him; and our complaints to him of their beastli- 
ness produced no effect. We had too often tried the 

T 



146 LAW AT SEA. 

experiment of " going aft." There was nothing to 
be gained by appeals of that kind. It was useless to 
remonstrate with the Portuguese ; and, indeed, I can 
not say that many of the Americans were superior to 
them in point of breeding. Under such circum- 
stances, what were those who were inclined to be 
civilized to do ? It would be unreasonable to sup- 
pose that they could quietly suffer themselves to be 
starved. Hunger does not pay much regard to con- 
ventional rules, especially at sea. The worst of it 
was, that it was only through cupidity we were de- 
nied our just rights. There was no scarcity of pro- 
vision of a bad quality on board the vessel ; yet, bad 
as it was, we were unable to obtain enough of it. 
The law allows a certain proportion of wholesome 
food to each man. It must not be supposed, how- 
ever, that there is any law at sea but the captain's 
word ; for, notwithstanding cases sometimes occur, 
in which seamen bring suit against the masters of 
vessels for refusing them their legal allowance, it is 
but rarely they can sustain their complaints by ade- 
quate proof. There is almost invariably some loop 
through which men of influence and wealth can 
escape. Besides, even should a suit of this kind be 
successful, what is there in a paltry fine to recom- 
pense a crew for two or three years' starvation ? 
The lact is, the law, so far as it regards abuses like 
this, is a mere burlesque ; and the only sure way of 
obtaining redress is, for the crew to take the matter 
joito their own hands, and compel the captain to give 



MAKE THE CAPE DE VERDES. 147 

them their proper allowance, or refuse duty alto- 
gether. This, unfortunately, is but poor satisfaction, 
after all ; for the laws against mutiny are not so ea- 
sily evaded. I should be far from advising such a 
course ; though I believe it is the only one which 
will ever produce any effect. Put men to trouble 
and expense — touch their pockets, and they will be- 
gin to listen to reason and justice. 



CHAPTER X. 

Make the Cape de Verdes. — Isle of Sal. — Bonavista. — Isle of May. 
■; — Raising Breaches. — Leton's Rock. — Humor of the Cook. — Isle 
of St. Iago. — Porto Praya. — Bill Mann " Three Sheets in the 
Wind." — Bounty. — Its Effects upon the Crew. — A Sail. — British 
Convict Vessel. 

October 26th. — Made the Isle of Sal, one of the 
Cape de Verdes, distant thirty miles. The peak is 
of very considerable height, and bears some resem- 
blance to the Peak of Pico. We ran down along 
the shore, which has a beautiful and fertile appear- 
ance, and had a fine view of the principal harbor 
and town. There were several vessels in port, tak- 
ing in cargoes of salt for South America. Lay to 
all night, and next morning at daylight made sail for 
Bonavista. Learning there that there was an Amer- 
ican vessel in port at the Isle of May, we hauled off 



148 RAISING BREACHES. 

and ran down for that island, the captain being de- 
sirous to send home the oil we had on board. 

A little incident occurred during the day which 
afforded us all much amusement. D- , the coop- 
er, was in the habit of " raising whales," when no- 
body else on board could see them ; and as there 
was a bounty up for the first whale yielding fifty bar- 
rels, he was always on the alert. While we were 
standing by the braces, waiting for orders, we heard 
him singing out from the mast-head with all his 
might, 

" Thar' she breaches ! Thar' she breaches !" 

" Where away 1" said the captain. 

"A point off the weather bow, sir. Thar' she 
breaches !" 

"How far off?" 

" Ten miles. Thar' she breaches ! Thar' she 
breaches !" 

" Don't she blow at all V- 

" No, sir ; there's no spout ; nothing but breaches 
— very large breaches. Thar she breaches !" 

" Luff up to the wind. Do you hear, at the wheel 1 
Cooper, are those breaches in sight now V 

"Yes, sir; I see them all the time. She don't 
stop breaching at all — large breaches ! It must be 
a very large sperm whale. Thar' she breaches ! 
Thar' she breaches !" 

"What the deuse ! don't the breaches stop at all ?" 

" No, sir. Thar' she breaches ! thar — " 

" Sing out every time. Get your boats ready, and 
call all hands." 



"dar' she breach." 349 

" Thar' — thar' — thar' she breaches !" shouted the 
cooper, from the mast-head. For upward of fifteen 
minutes he strained his lungs in this way, when he 
suddenly became silent. 

" Where's the whale now ?" said the captain. 

" I don't believe it's a whale, sir," replied the coop- 
er, in a tone of disappointment. 

" What in the nation do you call it, then V 

" Why, I don't know exactly. It looked very 
much like a whale at first." 

" How now 1 Don't you know a whale when 
you see one ? What is it ?" 

" Well, I don't know, sir. It ain't a whale, that's 
certain." 

" You don't know, you infernal sheephead ! Stew- 
ard, pass up my spyglass !" and, taking a steady look 
from the main-top in the direction indicated by the 
cooper, he suddenly exclaimed, " Why, h — 11 and 
d — n — n ! that's Leton's Rock /" 

We all enjoyed a hearty laugh at the cooper for 
his mistake. The old Portuguese cook, who was 
something of a wag, rallied him most unmercifully. 
For weeks after, when the hands would gather in 
the waist for a dance, old Slush, grinning from ear 
to ear, would gaze toward the horizon with eyes 
like saucers. This was a signal for some of the 
crew to sing out, " Halloo, Slush, what d'ye see ?" 

" Large sperm whale, sare ! Dar' she breach ! 
Ten miles off, sare ! dar' she breach ! She breach 
all de time, sare ! Dar' she breach ! Big whale, sare 



150 ISLE ST. IAGO. 

— dat big whale ! He, he, he ! yaw, yaw, yaw ! 
Dar' she breach ! Cooper, you sabe big rock !" 

In spite of the bursts of laughter which invariably 
followed this sally of wit, the cooper maintained the 
utmost good-humor, and always joined in the fun. 

Arrived at Mayo, the main-yard was hauled aback, 
and the larboard boat went ashore with the captain. 
There was a vessel there bound to the United States, 
from which we procured late American papers. As 
the two captains could not agree upon terms for the 
freight of the oil home, we made no stay. From 
Mayo we continued on to Bonavista, another of the 
group, which derives its name from the beautiful and 
picturesque appearance which it presents from the 
sea. The shores, along which we steered as near 
as was considered safe, are interspersed with patch- 
es of white sand and meadows of deep green. Pro- 
ceeding on, without meeting with any thing to at- 
tract particular attention, we arrived, on the even- 
ing of 

October 28th, at Porto Pray a, the chief town and 
harbor of the Island of St. Iago. The larboard boat 
was lowered, and sent ashore for oranges and bana- 
nas, which are produced abundantly on this island. 
The only vessel in port was a Danish brig. I saw 
but little to interest me at Porto Praya. The town 
is filthy and dilapidated, and the inhabitants a race 
of poor, half-starved, mulatto Portuguese, living un- 
der an oppressive form of government. An Amer- 
ican consul is stationed at this place ; and the most 



PORTO PRAYA. 151 

pleasing sight I saw during our short visit was the 
flag of the United States waving gallantly in the 
breeze. There are associations of no ordinary in- 
terest connected with Porto Praya, as the theater of 
a naval engagement celebrated in the annals of our 
naval history. I regretted that I had not stored my 
mind more fully with the particulars of that affair 
previous to visiting the Island of St. Iago ; but dur- 
ing our subsequent cruise I procured a book entitled 
" Naval Battles," in which there was an animated 
description of it ; and of course it rendered the de- 
scription extremely vivid to have visited the spot, 
and become familiar with the scene of the engage- 
ment. 

The boat returned in the evening well laden with 
fruit, and all hands " three sheets in the wind." The 
most uproarious of the crew was Bully, so called 
from his pugnacious propensities, who had figured 
conspicuously in the New York " Flash" as a " La- 
dy's Fancy Man ;" next to him in liveliness was Bill 
Mann, a fore-mast hand, who had officiated in his 
younger days as a gas-lighter in the Bowery Thea- 
ter. Bill, to use his own words, was more than half 
"slewed;" and the rest of the crew, three Portu- 
guese, were jabbering about the sights they had seen 
at a most unintelligible rate. 

I must here state that Bill Mann was a very dis- 
tinguished character on board the Styx. In person 
he was large and unwieldy, and possessed of great 
strength. He wore a pair of tremendous black whis- 



152 BILL MANN. 

kers, which he regarded as the greatest ornament to 
the human face divine ; and altogether had the regu- 
lar " damn-my-eyes" look of an old salt. Bill was 
unquestionably a hero, if great deeds entitle any man 
to that distinction. According to his own account, 
he had killed more whales, broken more girls' hearts, 
whipped more men, been drunk oftener, and pushed 
his way through more perils, frolics, pleasures, pains, 
and general vicissitudes of fortune than any man in 
the known world. Nevertheless, Bill was a great 
grumbler. He had the happy knack of seeing through 
every thing at a glance, and making evil omens out 
of the smallest trifles. If a cloud appeared on the 
horizon, we were going to have " tough weather, and, 
like as not, the blamed old spars wouldn't stand it, 
and we'd fetch up in Davy Jones's locker." He al- 
ways " knew what he was about." If he fell over a 
handspike and bruised his shins, he " knew what he 
was about." Nay, for that matter, he could foretell 
every accident about to happen ; but, unfortunately, 
seldom made particular reference to any special ac- 
cident until after it did happen. Whenever any of 
the crew broke a looking-glass, he had fifty tragical 
stories to relate in proof of his position that it was a 
sure omen of bad luck. He was always " growling ;" 
from morning till night he had something to growl 
at. If he had to do a job on the rigging, he w T ent at 
it growling ; he growled his way aloft twice a day ; 
growled at the wheel ; growled in the forecastle ; 
growled in his sleep ; and, although he could tell 



BILL MANN. 153 

some amusing stories, he invariably wound up with 
a growl. Bill was every thing under the sun : a 
sailor, an actor, a musician, a pugilist ; and, in short, 
considered himself an adept in seamanship, literature, 
politics, law, and every other pursuit that engages the 
attention of man. In all forecastle disputes touching 
questions in art, science, or literature, Bill was the 
great Sir Oracle, and clinched every argument by the 
assertion, that " there was nothing green in the corner 
of his eye; he knew what he was about." His 
songs — for he could sing too — were never less than 
sixteen or eighteen verses. Every thing he did bore 
the peculiar stamp of his genius. Nothing pleased 
him ; nothing went as he had seen things go. His 
last voyage was pleasant and prosperous; the last 
ship was a good sailer; the last crew were fine, 
clever fellows-; the last forecastle wasn't a hog-pen. 
He was continually cursing his "top-lights" if it 
wouldn't be a source of infinite satisfaction to him 
if this crazy old tub of a barque would sink, spars, 
tackling, try-works, and all, and go chock to the bot- 
tom. He had seen salt water before ; nobody could 
tell him about salt water; he knew what a sailor's 
life was as well as any man ; but he had never seen 
such doings aboard any other ship. He'd be blowed 
if he wouldn't like to see the studding-sails dragging 
overboard, the top-masts swinging by the rigging, the 
yards braced to Halifax, and the whole bloody ship's 
crew drifting on to a lee shore in the cook's galley. 
Divers and sundry afflictions might befall him if he 

U 



154 " DISGUISED." 

wouldn't sooner be rammed and jammed into the fore- 
peak of purgatory than in such a dirty, lubberly, tub- 
sided blubber hunter as the barque Styx. 

This sort of grumbling proceeded, no doubt, more 
from habit than real discontent ; nevertheless, such 
is the force of example, Bill had scarcely been a 
month on board when all hands were grumbling. 

But I had almost forgotten the larboard boat and 
its crew in my anxiety to give some idea of Bill 
Mann. It appeared that in the course of the day, 
while the hands were frolicking about town, Bill con- 
trived to sell every thing he had about him for rum. 
Now, I presume, it is pretty generally known that 
if a man partakes very freely of any kind of strong 
liquor, it sometimes will find its way to his head, and 
even has been known to affect the knees. At all 
events, it produced something of this kind on Bill, 
who, believing, perhaps, that 

" Shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, 
But drinking deeply sobers it again," 

was finally reduced to the necessity of borrowing a 
pair of drawers from Bully, for the purpose of bar- 
tering for a fresh supply. The consequence was, 
that they both got down to the landing pretty exten- 
sively " disguised." 

When the boat came alongside, the cooper and 
two or three others attempted to hoist Bill on board, 
but, with some show of indignation, he rejected their 
assistance. 

" Bless my soul ! I know what I'm about. You 
must think I'm drunk !" 



BORROWED DRAWERS PAID IN BREECHES. 155 

" Oh no," replied the cooper ; " we don't think 
so." 

" Well, then," said Bill, scrambling over the rail, 
"what d'ye mean? My name is Bill Mann. I'm 
son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, New York." 

"No doubt of it, Bill." 

" You doubt it 1 By the bloody wars, sir, do you 
doubt my word ? I allow nobody to doubt my word. 
Do you doubt it V 

" Not at all." 

"Because, if you do, I'll just let you know that 
I'm Bill Mann, son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, New 
York. Boy, get out of my way !" 

This last remark was addressed to Bully, who, 
while staggering along the deck, chanced to run foul 
of " Bill Mann, son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, 
New York." A quarrel ensued, and the story of 
the drawers was brought up; which so offended 
Bill's delicacy of feeling, that he hauled off his inex- 
pressibles and flung them at Bully, shouting, " Take 
them ! take my blasted breeches ! Don't say / ain't 
able to pay you ! Don't tell me about what / bor- 
rowed from you! Take them, or, by the bloody 
wars, I'll lick you !" Upon this, Bully, in a state of 
lively excitement, ran to the deck-pot, and picked 
up a billet of wood, with which he attempted to 
knock Bill down. The "old salt," however, was 
too much for him, and, wresting the stick from Bul- 
ly's hands, he chased the " fancy man" around the 
decks, seemingly unconscious of his comical appear- 



156 UNDER "BARE POLES." 

ance, minus his ducks. The mate, seeing the fight, 
ran between the combatants and put a stop to it. 

"What disturbance is this ?" cried Captain A 

from the quarter-deck. " What's all this about 1" 

" He called me a boy, sir," replied Bully. 

"And he is a boy, captain; I could lick fifty like 
him," suggested Bill, who had by this time hauled 
up in the waist, under "bare poles," and stood bal- 
ancing himself in front of the captain. 

" Go forward ! You're both drunk." 

" Captain, he hurt my feelin's," blubbered Bully, 
wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his 
hand. " He did rally hurt my feelin's, captain." 

" Go forward, I tell you !" 

"Yes, sir, I'll go forward," said Bill; "but, cap- 
tain, bless my soul and body, sir, I'm not drunk !" 

" You are drunk." 

" No, sir, I'm only a little in liquor. It's all owing 
to that blamed rotgut I drank ashore." 

" Go forward, I tell you." 

" Captain, my name is Bill Mann. I'm son of 
old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, New York." 

" I want no parley with you. Go forward, and I'll 
talk to you about your name when you get sober." 

"But, captain, upon my conscience, sir, I'm not 
drunk." 

" You are drunk." 

" Put me in irons — put me in irons, then. I'm 
Bill Mann, son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, New 
York. Put. me in irons, Captain A !" 



"not know my father?" 157 

" I won't put you in irons. I'll put you in tlje 
rigging, though, and keep you there till morning, if 
you don't behave yourself." 

" Captain, I want to be put in irons. Will you 
put me in irons ? Will you do me the favor, sir, to 
put me in irons'?" 

" I tell you once for all, go forrard !" 

" Oh yes, sir ; yes, by all means, captain. I know 
what I'm about, sir. Nobody can tell me my duty. 
I've smelt salt water afore to-day. But the fact is, 
sir, I don't like to be hurried, d'ye see. Old Ed. 
Mann used to say to me, ' Billy, my son, don't you 
never hurry yourself; the more hurry the worse 
speed, Billy.' There's no mistake, captain, but what 
he was a rum old codger. It's surprisin' you don't 
know him. He used to work down by the South 
Wharf, and you couldn't but tell him by his pigtail ; 
that 'ere pigtail was half a fathom long. I'm blowed 
if I don't believe you know him. Say, captain, 
don't you, sir V 

" Silence !" thundered the captain, perfectly aghast 
at Bill's audacity. " If you don't mind me when I 
speak to you, I'll skin your back !" 

"No you won't, sir," growled Bill. "I ain't a 
man wot's a goin ; to be skinned, no how. I won't 
suffer no captain to skin me as long as my name's 
Bill Mann, son of old Ed.—" 

" Not another word !" roared the captain. 

Bill evidently began to get alarmed, and, mutter- 
ing something about being " skinned," he staggered 



158 THEATRICALS AT SEA. 

along to the forecastle, where, with some difficulty, 
we lowered him down the ladder. By this time the 
rum began to do its work in earnest ; he was raving 
like a madman. Four or five of the Portuguese had 
to hold him down on a chest. His old theatrical 
recollections coming upon him, he fancied he was 
Julius Caesar, about to be murdered in the senate. 

" I'm a Roman, damn my eyes if I ain't ! Give 
me a knife ! I'll cut my throat ! I'll die like a Ro- 
man ! Nobody ain't a goin' to skin me. I'm Julius 
Caesar ! Bloody my eyes, I'm Julius Caesar !" 

" You Bill ! Bill Mann," cried Charlie, " are you 
crazy 1 What the devil are you raving about V 

" Halloo ! is that you, Metellus 1 You in this 
bloody conspiracy too ? Strike, my boy, strike ! I'll 
die like a Roman ! I told Califorina so ashore, 
and she turned black in the face. Strike ! stick 
your knife into my windpipe ! 

" 'Cowards die many times before their deaths; 
The waliant never taste of death but once. 
Of all the wonders that I yet have hearn tell on, 
It seems to me most strange that men should fear ; 
Seeing as how death, a necessary end — ' 

Ugh ! Oh, that Portugee liquor !" 

" Come, come, Bill," said one of the Portuguese* 
catching him in his arms, and endeavoring to thrust 
him into his bunk, " turn in ; you're out of your 
senses." 

" Is that you, Cimber? Give me a knife, Brutus !" 
roared Bill, in a phrensy. " Let me go, I say ! 



"DIE LIKE A ROMAN." 159 

" ' I must prevent thee, Cimber. 
These couchings and these lowly courtesies 
Might fire the blood of ordinary men — ' [hiccough] 

but, ! if you don't come out of the little end 

of the horn if you fool with me [hiccough]. 

•"I spurn thee like a fice dog ! get out of my way ! 
Know Caesar doth not wrong ; nor without cause 
Will he be satisfied.' 

I'm Julius Caesar, son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, 
New York. I'm a Roman, second lamp-lighter in 
the Bowery Theater. Don't you lay a hand on 
me — not one of you. I know what I'm about. Hur- 
rah ! I'm Julius Caesar !" 

" No, Bill," said one of the Portuguese, "you no 
July Sneezer." 

" I am ! Don't slack-jaw me, you base-born hind. 
Oh, Brutus, Brutus, will you let 'em murder met 
Give me a knife ! I'll die like a Roman, 

" ' Of whose true fixed and resting quality 
There is no fellow in the firmament!' " 

And with this Bill rolled over, and lay motionless 
on his chest. Several of the stoutest in the forecas- 
tle now got hold of him, and attempted to roll him 
into his bunk. 

" Avast, there !" grunted Bill ; " hands off, you 
bloody harpies ! 

" ' Hence ! wilt thou lift up Olympus !' 

I'll settle your hash if you don't let me be. Who's 
got a knife 1 I'll kill you all single-handed ! I'll cut 
my throat, I will !" 

All this time I was an unconcerned spectator of 



160 " ET TU BRUTE V 

Bill's little peculiarities ; but, as he began to wax 
rather desperate, I advised him to turn in. He 
stared at me a moment as if he could not believe his 
eyes ; then, bursting into a theatrical fit of despair, 
exclaimed, 

" Et tu Brute 1 Well, I'm blowed if I ever thought 
that of you ! Fall, Caesar, fall ! Gentlemen and 
ladies, Caesar's dead ! please consider him defunct 
from this moment ! I'll cut my throat ! I'm nobody ! 
No ! I ain't — nobody at all ! I am Julius Caesar — a 
regular-built Julius Caesar ! A bloody old Roman, 
chock up to the royals, blast my top-lights if 1 
ain't!" 

It was useless to argue with Bill on the subject 
of his illustrious blood; so I turned in, and endeavored 
to get asleep. I had scarcely entered the land of 
dreams, when I was awakened by a noise like the 
growling of a bear ; and, upon listening attentively. 
I heard Bill's voice, half-smothered under the blank- 
et, endeavoring to articulate, 

" Who says I ain't a Roman 1 Who says I ain't 
Julius Caesar 1 Damme, sir, that's the rub ! Who 
says I ain't Julius Caesar ?" 

" Nobody, Bill ; go to sleep," growled a voice from 
the opposite side of the forecastle. 

" Me sleep !" retorted Bill, attempting to rise. 
"Who says I ain't Julius Caesar? You've waked 
up the wrong passenger, old fellow ! I'm a tee-total, 
everlasting, bloody Roman myself, 1 am !" 

As there was no possible way of convincing Bill 



BOUNTY FOR WHALES. 161 

that he was not a Roman, we left him to the enjoy- 
ment of his private personal opinion, with the gen- 
eral suggestion that, being a Roman, he should mag- 
nanimously suffer his fellow-countrymen to sleep. 

At 9 P.M. we were steering south-southeast un- 
der fore-topmast and lower studding-sails for the In- 
dian Ocean. 

It is usual in whalers to get up a bounty, by way 
of encouragement to the look-outs aloft. This 
bounty is sometimes at the expense of the owners, 
who offer it with a view to promote vigilance on the 
part of the crew, that the voyage may be as short 
and profitable as possible. Five or ten dollars re- 
ward for a whale to be " raised" by any given time 
sharpens the sight of the men at the mast-head 
amazingly. Whalemen, however prodigal of their 
earnings ashore, are very different at sea. The de- 
sire to make a good voyage seems to be the main- 
spring of all their actions. With what reckless 
liberality the proceeds of their industry are spent 
when they arrive in port I need not say, for the 
open-hearted character of Jack ashore is known all 
over the world. From the close calculations which 
they make at sea, one would think they were the 
most penurious race of men in existence ; but such 
is far from being the case. 

In lieu of any bounty from the captain or owners, 

the crew frequently get up a system of reward on 

their own account. This plan is often followed by 

the best results. It inspires a spirit of emulation 

X 



162 "RAISING OIL." 

among them that gives rise to great activity and 
vigilance. 

I present as a specimen a copy of a paper signed 
by the crew : 

" The undersigned, hands before the mast, agree 
to pay the sum affixed to our respective names, on 
every barrel of oil raised by a subscriber, to said 
subscriber ; the oil to be measured as stowed down." 

This may require a few explanatory remarks. In 
the first place, to "raise oil" is an expression pecu- 
liar to whalemen. The man at the mast-head, who 
is the first to discover a whale, " raises oil" provided 
the whale be taken. If a subscriber raise a hundred 
barrels of oil, according to the agreement (two cents 
a barrel being the sum affixed to each signature), he 
is entitled to two dollars from each of the other sub- 
scribers, which, allowing that there are ten subscrib- 
ers besides himself, makes twenty dollars. By this 
arrangement he may earn sufficient for spending 
money during the voyage. The chances are equal. 
The most vigilant subscriber makes the most money, 
and the most careless loses most. It is customary 
to make the sums affixed to each signature propor- 
tionate to the lay of the subscriber : a green hand 
paying a cent on every barrel, an ordinary seaman 
a cent and a half, and an able seaman two cents, or 
whatever rate may be agreed upon. Those who do 
not choose to subscribe have, of course, nothing to 
do with it ; but it is generally the case that this class 
is composed of the most worthless of the crew. 



SUNRISE WITHIN THE TROPICS. 163 

Consequently, there is a constant competition among 
the vigilant portion of the crew; and if there is little 
success, it is not owing to carelessness or neglect of 
duty on their part. Those who are desirous of pro- 
motion can not better evince their claims than by 
activity and vigilance in this branch of the business; 
for as it is a primary object in whaling to see whales 
when they appear above the surface of the water, 
so it is the chief qualification of a good whaleman 
to understand thoroughly the different species of 
whales, and how to distinguish them. 

November 2d. — Since we entered the tropics 1 
have frequently enjoyed the beauties of a sunrise at 
sea, which I think are more gorgeous in these lati- 
tudes than farther north or south. I never saw any 
thing to compare with the splendors of the scene 
which I witnessed this morning. We appeared to 
float in an immense arena, encircled by ranges of 
hills of the most magnificent and brilliant colors. 
The sea was perfectly calm ; and as the sun burst 
through from the east, gilding the edges of this 
mighty inclosure with the richest hues, such a com- 
bination of lights and shades was visible as to form 
a world of visionary splendor rather than any thing 
earthly : the clouds ever changing into the most fan- 
tastic and beautiful forms ; sometimes assuming the 
appearance of a group of fairy islands, resplendent 
with cities and palaces of gold, and at others bear- 
ing a strong resemblance to a bold, rugged chain of 
mountains capped with snow, glancing brilliantly in 



164 CONVICT VESSEL FOR VAN DIEMEn's LAND 

the sunbeams. But such sights as this are not to 
be described ; they must be seen. 

" Sail ho !" was the cheering cry from the man at 
the mast-head. This was the first vessel we had 
seen for eight or ten days. She proved to be a large 
English barque, and continued to near us, with a 
very light breeze, till toward evening, when we low- 
ered a boat and boarded her. A band of musicians, 
seated on a platform in the waist, welcomed us by 
striking up a lively air. The stranger was a con- 
vict vessel, bound for Van Diemen's Land, with a 
great number of convicts and emigrants on board. 
Some of the prisoners were chained on deck, others 
standing in platoons under a strong guard. I never 
saw such a gang of ill-looking, miserable beings in 
my life as these poor fellows. Here and there I 
thought I could distinguish a prisoner less hardened 
in guilt than his comrades ; some poor wretch who 
had seen better times, but now banished from the 
home of his childhood ; an outcast, driven from civ- 
ilized society, doomed to atone for his offense by 
years of exile and servitude in a land of vagrants 
and criminals. What a fate ! It was sickening to 
see so many human beings chained together like 
dogs, and white men too ! What a school of refor- 
mation for children of twelve or fourteen years of 
age ! I saw boys chained in groups, who really did 
not seem old enough to know what they were pun- 
ished for ; and yet these children, who, perhaps, had 
been driven by the cravings of nature to commit the 



APPROACH THE EQUATOR. 165 

acts for which they were now to make so awful an 
atonement, were to be lost forever ! 

The sun was just setting as we took our depart- 
ure. I felt, after what I had seen, that my situation 
was not so Bad as theirs, after all ; and when I look- 
ed upon our crazy little barque, rough and unsightly 
as she was in comparison with the splendid speci- 
men of naval architecture I had just seen, I really 
felt something akin to a kindly esteem for her. 



CHAPTER XL 

Approach the Equator. — Sketch of an old Whaleman. — John Tabor's 
Ride — Sketches of the Crew. — Routine of Duty. — Standing Mast- 
heads. — Ship-keeping. — Signals. 

The reader will now imagine us in the vicinity 
of the equator, with little to relieve the monotony of 
our voyage. To enter into a detail of every calm, 
squall, rain, or sunrise, would b§ tedious and unin- 
teresting. I deem this, therefore, a suitable place to 
give a sketch of our crew, and to enter more fully 
into our domestic economy on board the Styx. 

I have alluded already to Tabor, the harpooneers- 
man of the waist boat, as an experienced whaleman; 
but I must now speak of him as a man " whose like 
I ne'er shall look upon again." 

John Tabor, of the old Tabor family, celebrated 



166 JOHN TABOR. 

for their daring enterprise and success in the whale 
fishery, was a hardy, stout-built little fellow, who had 
spent twenty years of his life at sea, and had seen a 
great deal of the world, and experienced many hard 
rubs in the whaling business. There was scarcely 
an island in the Pacific Ocean that he had not visit- 
ed; and few there were whose minds were better 
stored with plain, matter-of-fact knowledge than 
John's. He had sailed with all sorts of captains, 
and witnessed many scenes of cruelty and tyranny. 
He had endured every species of hardship, and he 
bore upon his face and body scars which he had re- 
ceived in various encounters. Withal, Tabor was 
a very primitive character. He had all the noble 
generosity and daring of a real sailor — all those blunt, 
manly qualities which characterize the genuine son 
of Neptune— with the credulity and simplicity of a 
child. His voyages had all been successful enough, 
but he had been cheated out of his hard earnings 
by crafty and designing owners; and when he did 
chance to receive his earnings after a long voyage, 
there were land-sh#ks enough ready to pounce upon 
them. I was told of an instance of Tabor's gener- 
osity, which I think deserves to be recorded. He had 
been on a long and disagreeable voyage, with a cap- 
tain who had maltreated and abused the whole crew. 
When the vessel arrived at the port from which she 
had sailed, he was paid off and discharged. The 
total amount of his earnings, after subtraction for his 
outfit, was a hundred and fifty dollars. With this 



SAILOR GENEROSITY. 167 

he set off in search of adventure, on " a cruize up 
town." It is not to be wondered at that he soon 
came to an anchor in one of those dens of infamy 
where sailors generally dispose of their earnings. 
Here he met with a young girl who was apparently 
a novice in the ways of vice. Upon inquiry into 
her history, he learned that she was from a distant 
part of the country, where her parents resided, and 
that she had been seduced by the base schemes of a 
villain in the garb of a gentleman. She told the 
tale of her downfall with a simplicity and pathos that 
melted the heart of the rough sailor. He inquired 
why she did not return to the roof of her parents. 
Alas ! she was not able. It was now too late : the 
mistress of the house took all she got from her; and 
though she was willing to return, and knew she 
would be received with open arms, she could not think 
of writing home. They were ignorant there of all 
her guilt. Tabor dashed a tear from his eyes, and 
hauling out the sum he had so well earned, exclaimed, 
" I'm blowed if you shan't go home ! Go now, and 
be a good girl !" and without waiting to hear her 
expressions of gratitude, he left the house a pennyless 
wanderer. This act of genuine benevolence com- 
pelled him to ship immediately on another voyage. 
He never heard of the girl after that ; and from that 
day to this he bears the reputation, among his circle 
of acquaintances at home, of being a worthless spend- 
thrift, who could foolishly throw away all his earn- 
ings in a few days in a house of ill fame. 



168 tabor's failing. 

Every man has his failing : John Tabor had his. 
It assumed the shape of a large bottle of rum the day 
he sailed from New Bedford. There was no diffi- 
culty in smuggling it aboard ; but how to get at it 
when he succeeded in that, was the main question. 
It was impossible to " take a swig" in the cabin with- 
out attracting the vigilant eyes of the captain and of- 
ficers ; so Tabor marked it " camphor," and commit- 
ted it to the safe-keeping of a friend in the forecastle. 
Tabor's sly visits to the forecastle for several days 
after we left port were noticed by the officers, who, 
upon making inquiries, were given to understand that 
he was afflicted with an "internal commotion" which 
required constant doses of "camphor," a medicine 
pronounced indispensable by his physician. The 
fact was, Tabor had been on a long spree previous 
to signing the ship's articles ; and he had provided 
himself with the aforesaid bottle of strong medicine 
that he might gradually taper off to a perfect state 
of sobriety. Unfortunately, he tapered on instead of 
off; and for three or four days he could hardly stand 
an hour on deck without rolling into the lee scup- 
pers. The captain did not suspect the cause ; so 
it remained unknown except in the forecastle, where 
Tabor was a general favorite. In due course of 
time, when his bottle of rum, and another which he 
had purchased from one of the crew, gave out, there 
was a most extraordinary change in his face. It 
became nearly twice its original length, and looked 
very " pale about the gills," as some of the crew fa- 



tabor's apparition. 169 

cetiously observed. His nose, however, retained its 
fiery and conspicuous appearance, and there grew 
upon the extremity of it a great variety of luminous 
carbuncles, resembling a choice nosegay of highly 
colored flowers. About this period, too, it was ob- 
served that he rolled to leeward less frequently than 
formerly; but he peeped from behind his extensive 
whiskers, with a solemn and cadaverous look that 
told a tale of woe. There was no denying that he 
had the horrors ! the blue horrors first, and then the 
black horrors, and, lastly, the concentrated essence 
of both, which is decidedly a very unpleasant and 
alarming species of complaint. While in this state, 
he was continually beset by the vision of an old man 
with a long white beard, who seemed to entertain 
various murderous designs upon his person. The 
first time this interesting individual attempted to ac- 
complish his purpose, Tabor was in his bunk in the 
cabin. It was my trick at the wheel ; and I had 
been for some time enjoying a melancholy medita- 
tion, when I was startled by the apparition of a tre- 
mendous pair of whiskers, just visible over the com- 
panion-way. Then came the body and legs in a 
state of utter nudity. I soon discovered that it was 
Tabor. His eyes were starting from their sockets 
and his mouth wide open. For a few moments he 
stood gazing wildly toward the taffrail. 

" What's the matter, Tabor V said I. 

" Matter enough," replied Tabor, rubbing his eyes 
as if he had just been aroused from a disagreeable 

Y 



170 THE YARN. 

sleep ; and seating himself on a coil of rope by the 
wheel, he gave me a very amusing narrative of his 
acquaintance with the spectral individual who caused 
him so much uneasiness. 

JOHN TABOR'S RIDE. 

"I was cruising some years ago," he began, "on 
the southern coast of Africa. The vessel in which 
I was at the time had been out for a long time, and 
many of the crew were on the sick-list. I had smug- 
gled on board a large quantity of liquor, which I had 
made use of pretty freely while it lasted. Finding 
the crew in so helpless a condition, the captain put 
into Algoa Bay, where we had a temporary hospital 
erected for the benefit of the sick. I saw that they 
led a very easy life, and soon managed to get on the 
sick-list myself. As soon as I got ashore I procured 
a fresh supply of liquor from some of the English set- 
tlers there, and in about a week I was laid up with a 
fever in consequence of my deep potations. One 
night, while I lay in the hospital burning with this 
dreadful disease, I felt an unusual sensation steal 
over me. My blood danced through my veins. I 
sprang up from my catanda as strong as a lion. I 
thought I never was better in my life, and I wonder- 
ed how it was I had so long been deceived as to my 
disease. A thrilling desire to exert myself came over 
me. I would have given worlds to contend with 
some giant. It seemed to me 1 could tear him to 
pieces, as a wolf would tear a lamb. Elated with the 



tabor's yarn. 171 

idea of my infinite power, I rushed out and ran to- 
ward the beach, hoping to meet a stray elephant or 
hippopotamus on the way, that I might pitch him 
into the sea ; but, very fortunately, I saw none. It 
was a calm, still night. There was scarcely a ripple 
on the bay. I put my ear to the sand to listen ; for 
I thought I heard the breaches of a whale. I wait- 
ed for a repetition of the sounds, scarcely daring to 
breathe, lest I should miss them. Not a murmur, ex- 
cept the low heaving of the swell upon the beach, 
broke the stillness of the night. I was suddenly star- 
tled by a voice close behind me, shouting, ' There 
she breaches !' and jumping up, I saw, standing 
within a few yards of me, such a figure as I shall 
never forget, even if not occasionally reminded of 
its existence, as I was to-night. The first thing I 
could discern was a beard, hanging down from the 
chin of the owner in strings like rope yarns. It had 
probably once been wh^e, but now it was discolored 
with whale-gurry and tar. The old fellow was not 
more than five feet high. He carried a hump on his 
shoulders of prodigious dimensions ; but, notwith- 
standing his apparent great age, which must have 
been over a hundred years, he seemed as spry and 
active as a mokak. His dress consisted of a tremen- 
dous sou- wester, a greasy duck jacket, and a pair of 
well-tarred trowsers, something the worse for the 
wear. In one hand he carried a harpoon ; in the 
other a coil of short warp. I felt very odd, I assure 
you, at the sudden apparition of such a venerable 



172 tabor's yarn. 

whaleman. As I gazed upon him, he raised his fin- 
ger in a mysterious and solemn manner, and pointed 
toward the offing. I looked, and saw a large whale 
sporting on the surface of the water. The boats 
were lying upon the beach. He turned his eyes 
meaningly toward the nearest. I trembled all over ; 
for I never experienced such strange sensations as I 
did then. 

" ' Shall we go V said he. 

" ' As you say,' I replied. 

" ' You are a good whaleman, I suppose 1 Have 
you ever killed your whale at a fifteen-fathom dart V 

" I replied in the affirmative. 

" ' Very well,' said he, ' you'll do.' 

"And without more delay, we lanched the boat 
and pushed off. It was a wild whale-chase, that ! 
We pulled and tugged for upward of an hour. At 
last we came upon the whale, just as he rose for the 
second time. I sprang to tjae bow, for I wanted to 
have the first iron into him. 

" 'Back from that !' said the old whaleman, sternly. 

" ' It's my chance,' I replied. 

" ' Back, I tell you! I'll strike that whale !' 

" There was something in his voice that inspired 
me with awe, and I gave way to him. The whale 
was four good darts off; but the old man's strength 
was supernatural, and his aim unerring. The har- 
poon struck exactly where it was pointed, just back 
of the head. 

"'Now for a ride!' cried the old man; and his 



TABORS YARN. 175 

features brightened up, and his eyes glared strangely. 
'Jump on, John Tabor, jump on !' said he. 

" ' How do you mean V said I ; for although I had 
killed whales, and eat of them too, such an idea as 
that of riding a whale-back never before entered my 
mind. 

" ' Jump on, I say, jump on, John Tabor !' he re- 
peated, sternly. 

" ' Damme if I do !' said I, and my hair began to 
stand on end. 

" ' You must V shouted the old whaleman. 

" ' But I won't !' said I, resolutely. 

" ' Won't you V and with that he seized me in his 
arms, and, making a desperate spring, reached the 
whale's back and drove the boat adrift. He then 
set me down, and bade me hold on to the seat of 
his ducks, while he made sure his own fastening by a 
good grip of the iron pole. With the other hand he 
drew from his pocket a quid of tobacco and rammed 
it into his mouth ; after which he began to hum an 
old song. Feeling something rather uncommon on 
his back, the whale set off with the speed of light- 
ning, whizzing along as if all the whalers in the Pa- 
cific were after him. 

" ' Go it !' said the old man, and his eyes flashed 
with a supernatural brilliancy. ' Hold fast, John 
Tabor ! stick on like grim Death !' 

" ' What the devil kind of a wild-goose chase is 
this V said I, shivering with fear and cold ; for the 
spray came dashing over us in oceans. 



L76 tabor's yarn. 

" ' Patience !' rejoined the old man ; ' you'll see 
presently.' Away we went, leaving a wake behind 
us for miles. The land became more and more in- 
distinct. We lost sight of it entirely. We were on 
the broad ocean. 

" ' On ! on ! Stick to me, John Tabor !' shouted 
the old man, with a grin of infernal ecstasy. 

" ' But where are you bound V said I. ' Damme if 
this don't beat all the crafts I ever shipped in !' and 
my teeth chattered as if I had an ague. 

" ' Belay your jaw-tackle, John Tabor ! Keep 
your main hatch closed, and hold on. Go it ! go it, 
old sperm !' 

" Away we dashed, bounding from wave to wave 
like a streak of pigtail lightning. Whiz ! whiz ! we 
flew through the sea. I never saw the like. At this 
rate we traveled till daylight, when the old man sang 
out, 'Land ho !' 

" ' Where aw 7 ay V said I, for I had no more idea 
of our latitude and longitude than if I had been 
dropped down out of the clouds. ' Off our weather 
eyeV 

" ' That's the Cape of Good Hope !' 

" Ne'er went John Gilpin faster than we rounded 
the cape. 

" ' Hard down your flukes !' shouted my compan- 
ion, and in five minutes Table Mountain looked blue 
in the distance. The sun had just risen above the 
horizon, when an island appeared ahead. 

" ' Land ho !' cried the old man. 



tabor's 1ARN. 177 

« « Why, you bloody old popinjay,' said I, peering 
through, the clouds of spray that rose up before us, 
' where are you steering V 

« ' That's St. Helena !' 

" ' The devil you say !' and before the words were 
well out of my mouth we shot past the island and 
left it galloping astern. 

" ' Stick on ! stick on, John Tabor !' cried old 
greasy-beard ; and I tightened my grasp on the seat 
of his ducks. The sea was growing rough. We 
flew onward like wildfire. 

" ? Land ho !' shouted the old man again. 

" ' Where's that V said I, holding on with all my 
might. 

" ' That's Cape Hatteras !' 

" Our speed now increased to such a degree that 
my hat flew off, and the wind whistled through my 
hair, for it stood bolt upright the whole time, so fear- 
ful was I of losing my passage. I had traveled in 
steam-boats, stages, and locomotives, but I had nev- 
er experienced or imagined any thing like this. I 
couldn't contain myself any longer ; so I made bold 
to tell the old chap with the beard what I thought 
about it. 

" ' Shiver me !' said I, ' if this isn't the most out- 
landish, hell-bent voyage I ever went. If you don't 
come to pretty soon, you and I'll part company.' 

" ■ Land ho !' roared the old man. 

" 'In the devil's name,' said I, 'what d'ye call that V 

" ■ Nantucket,' replied my comrade. 
Z 



178 tabor's yarn. 

" We passed it in the winking of an eye, and away 
we went up Buzzard's Bay. The coast was lined 
with old whaling shippers, spying us with glasses ; 
for certainly so strange a sight was never seen before 
or since. 

" ' There she breaches !' cried some. 

" ' There she blows !' cried others ; but it was all 
one to them. We were out of sight in a jiffy. 

" The coast of Massachusetts was right ahead. 
On, on we flew. Taborstown, the general recepta- 
cle for Tabors, stood before us. High and dry we 
landed on the beach. Still onw r ard went the whale, 
blowing, and pitching, and tearing up the sand with 
his flukes. 

" ' My eyes !' said I, scarcely able to see a dart 
ahead, 'look out, or you'll be foul of the town pump !' 

" ' Go it ! Never say die ! Hold fast, John Tabor !' 
shouted the old chap; and helter-skelter w r e flew 
down Main-street, scattering children, and women, 
and horses, and all manner of live stock and domes- 
tic animals, on each side. The old Cape Horn and 
plum-pudding captains rushed to their doors at a 
sight so rare. 

" ' There she breaches ! There she breaches !' re- 
sounded through the town fore and aft ; and with 
the ruling passion strong even in old age, they came 
hobbling after us, armed with lances, harpoons, and 
a variety of old rusty whale-gear, the hindmqst sing- 
ing out, 

" ' Don't you strike that whale, Captain Tabor !' 



''! H Uuai imiwfr* at. 



tabor's yarn. 179 



and the foremost shouting to those behind, ' This is 
my chance, Captain Tabor !' while the old man with 
the long beard, just ahead of me, kept roaring, 

"'Stick fast, John Tabor! hang on like grim 
Death, John Tabor !' 

"And I did hang on. As I had predicted, we 
fetched up against the town pump ; and so great 
was the shock, that the old fellow flew head fore- 
most over it, leaving in my firm grasp the entire seat 
of his ducks. I fell myself; but being farther aft, 
didn't go quite so far as my comrade. However, I 
held on to the stern-sheets. As the old man right- 
ed up, he presented a comical spectacle to the good 
citizens of Taborstown. The youngsters, seeing 
such an odd fish floundering about, got their minia- 
ture lances and harpoons to bear upon him, in a 
manner that didn't tickle his fancy much. 

" The whale at length got under weigh again, and 
onward w T e went, with about twenty irons dangling 
at each side. I grasped the old man by the collar 
of his jacket this time. A shout of laughter follow- 
ed us. 

" ' You've lost your whale, Captain Tabor !' cried 
one. 

"'The devil's in the whale, Captain Tabor!' 
cried another. 

" ' As long as I've been Captain Tabor,' said a 
third, ' I never saw such a whale.' 

" ' As sure as I'm Captain Tabor, he's bewitched/ 
observed a fourth. 



180 TABORS YARN. 

" ' Captain Tabor, Captain Tabor ! I've lost my 
irons !' shouted a fifth. 

"'Who's that aboard, Captain Tabor 1 ?' asked a 
sixth. 

" ' That's John Tabor !' replied a seventh. 

" ' John Tabor, John Tabor, hold fast !' roared the 
old man, and away we went as if possessed of the 
devil, sure enough. Over hills and dales, and through 
towns and villages flew we, till the Alleghanies hove 
in sight. We cleared them in no time, and came 
down with a glorious breach right into the Alleghany 
River. Down the river we dashed through steam- 
boats, flat-boats, and all manner of small craft, till we 
entered the Ohio. Right ahead went we, upsetting 
every thing in our way, and astonishing the natives, 
who never saw any thing in such shape go at this 
rate before. We entered the Mississippi, dashed 
across all the bends through swamp and canebrake, 
and at last found ourselves in the Gulf of Mexico, 
going like wildfire through a fleet of whalers. Noth- 
ing daunted, the whale dashed ahead; the coast 
of South America hove in sight. Over the Andes 
went we — into the Pacific — past the Sandwich Isl- 
ands — on to China — past Borneo — up the'Straits of 
Malacca — through the Seychelles Islands — down the 
Mozambique Channel, and at last we fetched up in 
Algon Bay. We ran ashore with such headway 
that 1 was pitched head foremost into the sand, and 
there I fastened as firm as the stump of a tree. You 
may be sure, out of breath as I was, I soon began to 



tabor's yarn. 181 

smother. This feeling of suffocation became so in- 
tolerable, that I struggled with the desperation of a 
man determined not to give up the ghost. A con- 
fusion of ideas came upon me all at once, and I 
found myself sitting upright in my catanda in the 
old hospital — " 

Here Tabor paused. 

" Then it was all a dream V said I, somewhat dis- 
appointed. He shook his head, and was mysteri- 
ously silent for a while. 

" I could easily have supposed it was all a dream," 
he replied, at length, " only for what followed. The 
old man, with the same supernatural glare in his 
eye, the same long beard, stood by me. I tried to per- 
suade myself my eyes deceived me. I shut them 
and opened them again. Still he was there. I 
spoke to him ; but he was silent. I sprang from the 
bed, and endeavored to get hold of him. As I ad- 
vanced he receded. I followed him out on the 
beach. When I ran he ran. He always kept the 
same distance from me. I returned to the hospital, 
and he followed me. The moment I entered, I shut 
the door in his face. It was all in vain. He passed 
through it without an effort. For more than a week 
I was haunted in this manner." 

" I suppose it was some illusion produced by the 
fever?" 

" No ; for long after that, when I was as well as 
ever, I saw him again. He always appears to me, 
as a kind of punishment for my sins, when I indulge 



182 tabor's yarn. 

in liquor. He troubles me after every spree. I don't 
know what to think of it. To-night, as I was lying 
in my berth, I saw him come up out of the run as 
plainly as I see you. He stood glaring at me a 
while, and then approached me. I shuddered, for I 
had the black horrors. 

" ' D'ye want to get clear of me V he hissed. 

" ' 'Fore God, I do,' said I. 

" ' Swear, then, this night, that you'll never taste 
another drop of grog.' 

" Would you believe it ? I hadn't the resolution 
to take the oath. With a wild laugh he darted out 
of the cabin. I followed him. The rest you know." 

There was a mixture of the comic and the serious 
in Tabor's account of his troubles that interested me 
exceedingly. He was not a superstitious man, and 
he very naturally doubted the reality of the vision, 
though the evidence was such as to stagger his reas- 
on. That night he made a solemn vow to abstain 
from rum. Want of firmness was not one of his 
failings, and I have reason to believe that his vow 
has never been broken. At all events, he saw no 
more of the " old man with the long beard." 

In the forecastle we had a great variety of singu- 
lar characters, among whom, next to Bill Mann, 
"son of old Ed. Mann, sail-maker, New York," 
was a young Englishman, who went by the name 
of Jack Smith. This fellow had more of the con- 
flicting elements of human nature in his character 



PERSONIFICATION OF TRUTH: JACK SMITH. 183 

than any one man I ever knew. He was full of the 
noblest impulses : free, generous, and fearless to a 
fault; but, at the same time, a most unprincipled 
scoundrel. Lying had become second nature with 
him. He actually seemed incapable of telling the 
truth, so inveterate a liar was he, and so natural did 
it come to him to distort facts. When he entered 
his name upon the ship's papers at Fayal, it was 
Jack Smith. Soon after, he avowed most solemnly 
that it was John Post. When he had succeeded in 
making every body believe that, he protested on his 
sacred word that it was James Provost, and that he 
was an illegitimate son of Sir John Provost ; but, in 
a week or two after that, he offered to kiss the Bi- 
ble, and swear that it was neither Smith, nor Post, 
nor Provost, but a name which should go to the 
grave with him unknown to a human being. This 
threw an air of mystery over Jack's personal history 
that was very interesting to the crew generally. I 
learned from him, confidentially, some of the particu- 
lars of his life, which, had they been true, would have 
been truly astonishing. According to his own ac- 
count, he was nearly as old as Methuselah, though 
in appearance not more than twenty-one. Jack as- 
sured me, with many oaths, that he commenced the 
sea-faring life at the tender age oifive, at which in- 
teresting period he could knot a reef-point equal to 
any man on board. He was nine years before the 
mast in the merchant service. Tired of sea-faring, 
he bound himself apprentice to a baker ; spent six 



184 JACK SMITH. 

months with his employer; then apprenticed himself 
to a sail-maker, with whom he remained two or three 
years. He next acted in the capacity of a butcher's 
boy for a year or two more ; but not liking the busi- 
ness as well as he had expected, he bound himself to 
a carpenter. After a year at this trade he went to 
shoe-making ; but shoe-making was too sedentary a 
trade to suit his wandering disposition, and, after 
spending eighteen months at it, he hired himself to a 
black-smith, with whom he remained two years. 
The business became dull, and having an ardent de- 
sire to go to sea again, he shipped in a merchant ves- 
sel bound to Antwerp. He was twenty- eight months 
in this vessel. When he left her, he entered the 
navy of the United States, and went to Florida on 
an Indian-hunting expedition. He spent a year in 
the swamps chasing the Indians, and another in the 
West Indies, where he received a flogging, and de- 
serted ; a reward for his toils which he looked upon 
as ungrateful, to say the least of it. He there ship- 
ped in another man-of-war. When his time was 
out he went to New York to ship again, but was 
taken up as a deserter, and was put in prison for six 
months. At the expiration of that period, he ship- 
ped at Newport, Rhode Island, in a whaler. He 
w r as flogged for stealing soon after she left port, and 
deserted on the first island she touched at. He soon 
shipped again, however, and went on a voyage of 
three years ; then another of four years. Altogether 
he was in the whale fishery about nine years, during 



JACK SMITH. 185 

which time he had been frequently wrecked, and 
maimed on various occasions by whales. 

I will not vouch for the truth of Jack's narrative, 
particularly as he was not in reality more than twenty- 
one years of age, and bore no traces upon his person 
of the dreadful catastrophes which had befallen him. 
with the exception of the floggings he had received, 
and they were manifold, if I might judge by the 
fanciful manner in which his back was striped. As 
to the numerous trades he had learned, it was very 
evident that he had a natural talent for every thing 
under the sun, for there was not a man on board the 
barque so expert at all sorts of handicraft : shoe- 
making, black-smithing, butchering, tailoring, sail- 
making, or any thing necessary to be done on board 
ship. He was the most active sailor, and the most 
worthless one, I ever saw. 

This fellow had acquired, not only the habit of 
telling the most marvelous lies, but that of pilfering 
every thing he could lay his hands upon. He com- 
menced his career of petty larceny by robbing us all 
of our vinegar and molasses. When we discovered 
the thief, he swore he intended to knock off stealing : 
that it was a d — d ungentlemanly way of appropri- 
ating the property of another to one's own uses ; 
and he would never touch any thing belonging to 
us, if we said nothing of his past offenses. The 
very next week he stole a pair of shoes and a jack- 
knife from me. Unfortunately, though well assured 
that he was the thief, I could adduce no positive 

A A 



186 JACK SMITH. 

proof of the fact at that time, and I was obliged to 
make the best of my loss. Lying and stealing actu- 
ally seemed to be part of his nature, which he could 
no more resist than eating and drinking. When ac- 
cused of any misdemeanor of this kind, he would fly 
into a furious passion, protesting with the most aw- 
ful oaths that he was badly treated and much abused, 
and intended to whip all hands the first chance he 
got ashore. " He wouldn't be imposed upon because 
he was a bloody Englishman." The next moment 
he would ask a favor of his most inveterate enemy ; 
for there was one good trait about him : he never en- 
tertained the least ill-will toward any one, however 
much he quarreled or caused enmity to exist against 
himself. Jack was generous too ; he would rob his 
best friend, nay, according to his own confession, he 
had robbed the dead, and it was a common trick for 
him to steal from his parents ; but the first person he 
fancied he would bestow all he had upon, even to 
the shirt he wore. He was a most awful blasphemer. 
I have heard oaths from him that made my blood 
curdle. He was second only to Bill Mann in the 
art of " growling." Jack had quarrels to settle with 
every body ; and, what was most amusing, he would 
sit down with his mortal foe and talk over the ap- 
proaching fight in the most good-natured and friendly 
manner. He was always in trouble with the captain 
and officers, and occasioned more care and anxiety 
on their part than all the rest of the hands. So much 
for Jack Smith, our bully young Englishman. 



MACK. 187 

Barzilla MacF , the " down-easter," was an- 
other singular character. I have already given some 
idea of his dry humor in his remarks upon our first 
whale. With rather a muddy intellect, he had natu- 
rally an under-current of original humor, which was 
a source of great amusement to us all. Mack was 
very dull at learning any thing connected with sea- 
craft, and made rather a clumsy sailor. The captain 
disliked him on this account, and continually hazed 
him for his awkwardness ; but Mack took every hard 
rub with the utmost good humor. A more inoffen- 
sive, kind-hearted fellow never existed. He was al- 
ways generous and attentive to the sick. Whenever 
a chance of going ashore occurred, he was ever ready 
to yield his place to any one who seemed anxious to 
go ; or, if we went on a " gam" he always offered to 
take care of the boat alongside. I really felt a strong 
attachment to this poor, friendless, uncouth fellow, 
maltreated and abused as he was by the captain and 
officers. Mack always had something amusing to 
say whenever the crew were in an ill humor about 
the miserable fare we had. On one occasion, as we 
were all sitting around the empty meat kid, growling 
at the " old man" for his stinginess, the "down-easter" 
commenced as usual : 

" I say, folks, what's the use of talkin' about it ? 
If ye'll jest listen to me, I'll tell you how to fix it. 
Our molasses is so tarnation sour, we can sweeten 
it with vinegar ; it's so thin, a little water will thick- 
en it. The tea is pesky nasty sort o' stuff. Can't 



188 MACK. 

we improve it by washin' down the hog-pen with it 
before it's served out ? It won't be nastier, and it 
won't be nicer. It'll be considerable cleaner, any 
how. I don't know how we'll git enough of meat. 
Let's turn the kid upside down, and all hands lick 
away at the bottom. The bread's monstrous dirty. 
Why not scrub it down with one of the deck- 
brooms ? You're always a jawin' about the duffs. 
Let's save 'em up for six weeks, and then we can 
have enough for a meal. While we're waitin', we 
can play marbles with 'em. Very well, as we ain't 
got our allowance of rice, we can dig away at vine- 
gar and vacancy ; and, when the old man sings out 
arter us to man the boats, we'll jest turn edgewise, 
and say, ' Old Skinflint, you needn't holler ; we ain't 
to be found in no particular place.' " 

Mack had some lines of his own composition, 
which he often repeated for our benefit and edifica- 
tion on occasions like this. His mock-tragic man- 
ner was always sure to produce a general roar of 
laughter. I think, as a literary curiosity, the lines 
ought to be preserved : 

" Dear youth, let this a solemn warnin' be, 
Don't you fool away yourself, and come to sea ; 
For if you do, you'll wish you was to hum, 
Not on the ocean, whar' the mighty whales do roam. 
You'll wish you was in the green fields in spring, 
Whar' the crows do croak, and little birds do sing. 
While you to hum the best of cabbiges do eat, 
With plenty of potatoes and fresh meat, 
We on the deep sea, alas ! 
Has nothin' but horse-junk and pepper-sass. 



CHARLEY CLIFFORD. 189 

Oh ! nobody — nobody knows 
What a poor sailor undergoes !" 

I never saw Mack in an ill humor. Under every 
circumstance he was the same singular, awkward, 
good-natured oddity. The horrible and brutal man- 
ner in which he was treated toward the latter part 
of the cruise will form the subject of some future re- 
marks, in which I shall give a fair exposition of the 
dastardly conduct of a wretch whose name deserves 
to be branded with infamy. 

Of all the crew my favorite was Charley Clifford* 
a little fellow from Connecticut, belonging to the 
waist boat. In every respect Charley was the best 
specimen of a Yankee tar I ever met with : active, 
energetic, and fearless ; and possessed of all the 
frankness and generosity of a genuine sailor. He 
had received some education, which, combined with 
a very strong, keen mind, rendered him a pleasant 
companion for a long night-watch. For graphic de- 
scriptions of incidents ashore and at sea I never saw 
his equal, except Tabor. His fund of wit a-id anec- 
dote was inexhaustible. When I first saw Charley, 
I was struck by his personal appearance. In height 
he was about five feet five, very compact, and well- 
built. He wore his hair in long ringlets, reaching 
down over his shoulders, and had his tarpaulin 
jauntily cocked on one side, with a fathom of rib- 
bon to set it off. His trowsers were wide, white 
ducks, cut in the pink of nautical fashion. Altogether 
he was the handsomest and most sailor-like little fel- 
low on board. 



190 TOM VERNON. 

The next in the forecastle of any note was Tom 
Vernon, a youth from Philadelphia, who had run 
away from home to test the charms of a " life on the 
ocean wave." There was nothing uncommon in 
his history. He had been a clerk in a hardware 
store, and had fallen out with his employers, which 
was the original cause of his troubles. He was well 
educated, and wrote an excellent hand ; but Nature 
had never intended him for a sailor. The captain 
and mate held a taught rein upon poor Tom, and 
treated him with great severity and harshness. The 
surest way to render a man worthless and indifferent 
to the success of the voyage is to haze him, and find 
fault with him when he does his duty to the best of 
his ability. It never makes a smarter or a better 
man of him ; and it often, by degrading him in the 
eyes of his comrades, makes him reckless of all his 
obligations. It was so with Tom. At first he used 
every exertion in his power to please ; but finding he 
was still treated badly, he became sullen and morose, 
and did as little as he possibly could. This inflamed 
the mate with a deadly animosity against him. The 
unfortunate lad led the life of a dog. There are va- 
rious ways on board a ship of gratifying malice of 
this kind : such as giving a man the most disagree- 
able jobs, hazing him about, cursing him at the helm, 
and taunting him for his awkwardness. The usual 
manner in which Tom was addressed was, " You 
d — d soger ! you blasted sheephead ! you infernal 
liar !" &c. The melancholy fate of this poor fellow, 



BULLY BLAIR. 191 

at a subsequent period, formed a tragic termination 
to the system of heartless and brutal tyranny with 
which he was treated on board the Styx. 

By far the noisiest man in the forecastle was John 
Blair, a stone-cutter, from New York, commonly 
called Bully. Had every by-alley and den of infamy 
in that city been searched, there could not have been 
found a more abandoned ruffian than this fellow. He 
made it a boast that he was the most conspicuous 
man in New York among the sisters of the pave, and 
rejoiced in the cognomen of the " Ladies' Fancy 
Man." He was continually boasting of the deeds 
of rascality he had committed, and took no small 
pride in the fact that he had been driven to sea in 
order to escape punishment for a most infamous and 
atrocious act of violence upon the person of a re- 
spectable girl. There was a low cunning and a to- 
tal want of every manly principle about him that 
rendered him detestable to every one on board. 

The remainder of the crew consisted of Portu- 
guese from the Western Islands, who may be de- 
scribed in a few words. A more ignorant, heartless, 
treacherous, beastly set of men, I think, never exist- 
ed ; and, with two exceptions, I would rather live 
among; the most degraded of the savage tribes. They 
were all blustering and cowardly, except John and 
George, the only decent Portuguese in the vessel. 
George was a quiet, harmless nonentity ; active 
enough as a sailor, but with the intellect of a child. 
John, the largest man on board, was a fine specimen 



192 PORTUGUESE SHIPMATES. 

of corporeal strength and mental imbecility. He 
was over six feet in height, of tremendous breadth 
across the shoulders, and active as a cat. It was al- 
most impossible to get him angry ; but, when once 
aroused, he was a perfect demon. John was liked 
and feared by the whole crew ; for, while he gave 
offense to none, he was able, if imposed upon,, to flog 
any four men in the forecastle. 

With these men I had cast my lot ; and, such as 
they were, made up of good and evil, I felt that, for 
my own comfort, it was necessary to be on friendly 
terms with all, and to associate with them as equals. 

Our routine of duty on a passage was as follows : 
Each man had his two hours at the mast-head and 
two hours at the wheel every day. The watches, 
instead of boat's crews, as we had them on the 
whaling ground, were divided into two, the larboard 
and starboard. The mate had charge of the first, 
and the second mate of the last. There were alter- 
nate hours of duty, four on deck and four below, ex- 
cept during the " dog watches," from four o'clock in 
the afternoon to supper time, when all hands were 
on deck. This gave us an average of nine hours be- 
low out of the twenty-four. All that was required 
of us at night in fine weather was to be on deck, and 
take turns at keeping a look-out. There were six 
men in each watch: one at the helm, one on the 
night-heads, and the rest at liberty, unless called upon 
to brace the yards, to pass away their watch on deck 
as they best could, spinning yarns, or taking a sly 



ROUTINE OF DUTY. 193 

nap under the weather rail. Being able to get an 
average of two hours sleep every night in this way, 
and six below, we had about four hours every day 
to ourselves, which we usually spent mending our 
clothes, talking, smoking, or reading. 

I found my two hours a day, and four every alter- 
nate day, at the mast-head very tedious at first. It 
was not until we left the Western Islands that I could 
stand them without experiencing anew all the dis- 
agreeable symptoms of sea-sickness ; and in this 
misfortune I was not alone ; for few of the green 
hands could stand at the mast-head in rough weath- 
er without becoming sea-sick. Still it was not un- 
pleasant to be occasionally removed from the noise 
and confusion of the forecastle. The mast-head was 
a little world of peace and seclusion, where I could 
think over past times without interruption. There 
was much around me to inspire vague and visionary 
fancies : the ocean, a trackless waste of waters ; the 
arched sky spread over it like a variegated curtain ; 
the sea-birds wheeling in the air ; and the myriads 
of albacore cleaving their way through the clear, blue 
waves, were all calculated to. create novel emotions 
in the mind of a landsman. It was here I could 
cast a retrospective glance at my past life. Here it 
was I could think of my home in the west, where I 
had spent years of unalloyed happiness, with none to 
tyrannize over me, but where all was social har- 
mony. How bright and beautiful seemed the past ! 
How I longed once more to see the familiar faces 

B B 



194 SEA-MUSING. 

of friends and kindred ! Hour after hour have I 
thought of by-gone scenes and happier days ; 

" My very heart athirst 
To gaze on Nature in her green array." 

Whenever I became so wrapped up in these vision- 
ary dreams as to forget that I was not placed at the 
mast-head for that special purpose, the loud, harsh 
voice of the captain would arouse me, with a friend- 
ly hint to " keep a sharp lookout for whales, or he'd 
wake me up with a rope's end." To be suddenly 
startled from a delicious revery, abounding in those 
ethereal and refined fancies which Rousseau has so 
beautifully described as part of the inspiration deriv- 
ed from an elevated atmosphere ; to have one's hap- 
piest dreams of home dissipated by an allusion to 
" rope's ends," suggesting thoughts of the mode in 
which they are usually applied, is not so romantic 
as one might suppose. 

The only time I experienced any thing akin to 
real pleasure was during my night-watches, when the 
weather was fine. I could then find a comfortable 
seat, and spend a few hours in agreeable conversa- 
tion with Tabor and Clifford, the only two on 
board who really had any idea of the pleasures of 
social intercourse. With a strong passion for all 
the romance and superstitions of sea-life, I often list- 
ened for hours to their reminiscences of adventure 
and legendary lore ; and such was the natural and 
graphic force of their descriptions that it was diffi- 
cult to separate the real from the fictitious. In their 



NIGHT-WATCHES. 195 

own homely and energetic language they could con- 
jure up scenes of startling reality — scenes invested 
with all the charms of romance. Tabor, in partic- 
ular — though he never made use of a poetical word ; 
though he had never read a line of real poetry — 
had a thorough appreciation, unknown to himself, 
of the poetry of incident, and could throw the true 
poetic mantle over the most ordinary narrations by 
the very simplicity and natural energy of his lan- 
guage. I often thought that, could he have received 
the benefits of education, without impairing the 
original vigor of his mind — could he have preserved 
the freshness of his language with the addition of a 
cultivated intellect, few men would have ranked 
higher in the literary world. Tabor was one of 
those poets " who have never penned their inspira- 
tion." 

These night-watches were not always devoid of 
other pleasures. When it is borne in mind that the 
most trifling event on a long and monotonous pass- 
age constitutes an epoch in sea-life, I think I shall 
be pardoned for introducing one of the few little 
incidents which occurred soon after we had left the 
Cape de Verde Islands. 

A quiet, beautiful moonlight night had succeeded 
a week's rough weather. My watch on deck was 
nearly over. The sky looked so calm, and the ves- 
sel was so still, that I could not sleep ; for when one 
becomes accustomed to the lullaby of the storm it 
is difficult to dispense with it. I stretched myself 



196 mack's nightmare. 

on the windlass, and amused myself looking up at 
the stars, and wondering whether the inhabitants 
carried on the whaling business. If so r was it not 
probable they had their duff-days and their banyan- 
days, their tricks at the helm, their mast-heads, their 
look-outs, their watches on deck and their watches 
below 1 and then, pursuing this train of reflection, I 
naturally bestowed upon my lunar brethren a great 
deal of unnecessary sympathy. 

While under the influence of these pleasant cogi- 
tations, a deep groan, apparently close by, startled 
me. There was no illusion about it. I could not 
be mistaken. It was a groan — a real groan. I look- 
ed around, arid saw the watch asleep under the bul- 
warks. It evidently proceeded from nobody there. 
In a few moments it was repeated, half smothered, 
and horribly sepulchral. Supposing some of the 
crew were attempting to play a trick upon me, I 
pretended to take no notice of it. Again the awful 
groan was repeated, with low, smothered exclama- 
tions: " Oh, great Jee-hovali ! oh! um ! ah! wrugh ! 
good y^e-meny ! oh ! oh !" muttered the voice. " Oh 
cracky ! oh gosh ! I'm catched — catched at last ! 
I'll give in. Oh !" 

It was Mack's voice ; there was no doubt about 
that. I, of course, thought he was at some of his 
tricks, and quietly awaited the issue. About five 
minutes elapsed, when the most awful and heart- 
rending groans issued from some place not very dis- 
tant from me, accompanied by words pronounced in 



mack's nightmare. 197 

a sepulchral voice. " Tabor ! Tabor !" muttered 
the sufferer in a beseeching tone, "don't stick that 
'ere fork in me !" A pause ; another groan. " Oh, 
I'm brilin' ! I'm roastin' ! Pull me out ! help, some- 
body ! Tom, pull me out !" 

The cries of distress startled the men who were 
asleep under the bulwarks. Two or three of them 
lazily raised up their heads, and rubbed their eyes. 
I immediately jumped up, and, assisted by the watch, 
commenced a search. While we were looking 
around in search of Mack, the groan was repeated 
close by the try-works. Upon removing a pile of 
wood and an old tarpaulin cover from the deck-pot, 
we found him coiled up in the smallest possible 
space, covered with oil and dirt, and presenting al- 
together a most hideous appearance. Big John, the 
Portuguese, caught him by the hair, and lifting him 
out with one hand, placed him upon his legs. Mack 
looked around him perfectly bewildered. His face 
was black with dirty oil, his eyes were wide open, 
and there he stood, gasping for breath, like the im- 
personation of a nightmare. 

" What's the matter, Mack V cried every body at 
once. 

" Oh gosh ! oh gosh !" was all the reply Mack 
could make. 

" Are you sick V 

" No, no ! Oh, great Jeio-Tpitter ! oh jee-menj !" 
gasped Mack. 

As soon as he could speak, he gave us a charac- 



198 THE DOWN-E ASTER'S DREAM. 

teristic explanation of the whole affair. It appear- 
ed that, in looking around him for a comfortable nest 
in which he could pass the night's watch — having 
no trick at the helm, or look-out — he was struck 
with the inviting appearance of the deck-pot. To 
protect himself from the night-dew and provide 
against rain, should either feel disposed to attack 
him, he left the wood on the tarpaulin cover, and 
creeping in under it, coiled himself up. It may very 
naturally be presumed that the weight of the wood, 
combined with his cramped position, did not pro- 
duce the most agreeable soporific effects. He had 
dreams — every variety of horrible dreams ; but the 
only one he could recollect was the last, which he 
gave us, seated on the forecastle scuttle, surrounded 
by a group of gaping listeners. It was an original 
and a wonderful dream, of which no idea can be 
formed unless I give it in his own language. 

THE DOWN-EASTER'S DREAM. 

"I dreamp," said Mack, with the air of a man who 
is conscious of the importance of certain mysteries 
into which he is about to admit his hearers, "I 
dreamp I was a whale !" 

" A whale !" burst from every lip. 

" Yes, a whale," said Mack, bringing his fist down 
upon the scuttle with an emphasizing thump ; " a 
sperm whale ! I was cruisin' all around in search 
of fodder, not thinkin' o' no kinder harm, when what 
should I see but a barque right ahead. ' Well,' says 



THE DOWN-E ASTER'S DREAM. 199 

I to myself, ' old feller, you'd better be makin' tracks ;' 
and, with that, I blowed up all the salt water I had 
in me, and turned flukes. I hadn't been down very 
long when I began to smother ; so I had to come up 
and blow agin. Just as I riz to the top o' the wa- 
ter, what should I hear but old Tabor, singin' out 
with all his might, ' Thar' she blows ! right ahead !' 
Sure enough, I felt myself a blowin' away, and not a 
stare could I move till I blowed all the water out'n 
my insides. While I was blowin' away like a steam- 
engine, the boat fetched hard up agin me, and before 
I knowed what he was about, Tabor stuck an iron 
chock into my gizzard. ' Stern all !' says somebody, 
and the boat flew away from me in the winkin' of 
an eye. Well, I began to pitch, and blow, and 
wriggle like mad. By'mby I felt myself a givin' out, 
so I hollers, ' I'm catched ! I'll give in !' but twarn't 
no sort o' use. The boat comes up agin, and the 
second mate he began to stick a lance right through 
my head. It was all up with me. I spouted blood 
in less than no time. At last I kicked the bucket, 
and thar' I lay on my back, and the boat towin' me 
alongside the barque. Arter a while they hauled 
up, and lashed me to the night-heads by the flukes, 
and to save my life I couldn't move. But I hadn't 
felt no kind o' pain till they got to cuttin' me in. 
Then, by gosh ! how they did rip the hide off'n me, 
and how the sharks did pick at me, and how they 
minced me all up ! I knowed it warn't no use to 
holler, so I jest kept as quiet as I could, till they got 



200 the down-easter's dream. 

me in the tub all minced up. I couldn't keep in no 
longer, when I seed Tabor with a great long fork, 
stic kin' it in me as hard as he could drive. I tell 
you what it is, that 'ere fork looked mighty ugly. 
1 Tabor,' says I, ' don't stick that 'ere fork in me ;' 
but he wouldn't mind me no more 'an if I had no 
feelin's no how. Well, the next place I found my- 
self was right in the try-pots, roastin', and boilin', 
and fryin' like fury. You never seed such a steam 
as I sent up. I jumped, and tore, and pushed, and 
turned, to get out, but thar I was. My eyes ! how 
the fat worked out'n me — how it fizzed in the pots ! 
And every time I popped up I seed Tom, and Bul- 
ly, and Charlie, and Bill, and a half dozen more, sit- 
tin' on the windlass, laughin' at me fit to kill. Onc't 
I cotched fire, and blazed chock up to the topsail- 
yards. The cooper and Tabor kept stirrin' me up 
with their bloody forks and spads, and now and agin 
the capting he comes along and gives me a poke, 
and says, ' That 'ere oil worit do ; stir it up ; he ain't 
brown yit! Well, such a stirrin' up and broilin' as 
I got bangs all creation. But that warn't the wust 
on't. As soon as pieces o' me was well done, they 
sticks a fork in 'em, and pokes 'em right into the fire. 
My gosh ! how I fried thar' ! At last I got red hot; 
I couldn't stand it no longer. My dander was riz. 
So I hollers to somebody to pull me out, thinkin' the 
minute I'd get out I'd give all hands the darndest 
kind of a lickin'. But I'm blowed if they'd help 
me, dod burn the bit. The fust thing I knowed arter 



THE DOWN-EASTER'S DREAM. 201 

that, was somebody jerkin' me by the ha'r, and all at 
onc't I was half awake ; but I didn't know no more 
whar' I was than if I was nobody at all. 

" Now here I am, and I'll give you my opinion 
about it. I've come to the conclusion it's a solemn 
warnin' aginst the catchin' of whales. Whales has 
feeliris as well as any body. They don't like to be 
stuck in the gizzards, and hauled alongside, and cut in, 
and tryed out in them 'ere boilers no more than I do ; 
and if I live to get away from this bloody old blub- 
ber hunter, you won't see me in no sich un-Christian 

business while my name's Barzy M'F ; not this 

child, you won't." 

We all agreed that Barzy's dream capped the cli- 
max of all the dreams we had ever heard, and in 
five minutes more we were dreaming ourselves. 

We always, in fine weather, spent our dog-watches 
on deck. This was a time of general relaxation. 
While the crew amused themselves dancing, singing, 
and spinning yarns, the mate, the cooper, and Tabor 

discussed Mormonism in the waist. D , the 

cooper, was a tall, gaunt man, lame of one leg, and 
very singular in his general appearance. He was a 
strong advocate of the Mormon 'doctrine, and was 
continually endeavoring to make converts to his re- 
ligion. The mate was an infidel, who deemed all re- 
ligion a humbug. Tabor was a Methodist, but not 
very strict in observing the codes of his Church. 

These long arguments were very amusing, inasmuch 

Cc 



202 SEA-PSALMODY. 

as they generally resulted in an angry dispute. Ta- 
bor, who was not a patient reasoner, whenever he 
found the argument turn against him, would con- 
clude by striking up, in a voice broken by exposure 
and hard service at the mast-head, 

" Come, holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, 
With all thy quickening powers ;" 

or sometimes, for the sake of variety, 

" Sing, all ye nations, to the Lord! 
Sing with a joyful noise !" 

" I'm blowed if you know any thing about Mor- 
monism. It's all a bloody humbug. Come, cooper, 
let's all join and have a hime of the good old fire- 
and-brimstone school." 

The cooper, easily pacified, and the mate, caring 
little what he did, would then join and sing hymns; 
and, being at a loss for suitable airs, they were no- 
way particular whether it was " Hail Columbia," 
" Rousseau's Dream," or " Yankee Doodle." These 
little revivals and devotional exercises were carried 
on in a manner perfectly harmless, though not with 
all the gravity adapted to subjects of a solemn nature. 

The captain being altogether too high and digni- 
fied a character to associate with people of ordinary 
mold, spent most of his time in the cabin, or pacing 
the quarter-deck with his hands in his pockets, and 
his head down, in profound thought upon the mag- 
nitude, importance, and responsibility of his situation 
as master of a whaling barque of a hundred and 
forty-seven tons burden ! We often speculated upon 



"SINGLE I AM." 203 

the cause of the old man's single blessedness at his 
time of life. It was generally admitted that he was 
" granny" enough without a wife ; but his stinginess 
was evidently the true cause. I found in a copy 
of Bowditch's Navigation, which I borrowed from 
him, a kiss-verse carefully preserved between the 
leaves, which explained his sentiments upon matri- 
mony, to the great amusement of us all : 

" Single I am, and so resolved to be, 
For Hymen's bands shall never fetter me." 

Mack, the " down-easter," made a large capital 
of fun out of this. Whenever the captain walked 
the quarter-deck with an air of more than usual pro- 
fundity of thought, Mack nodded his head knowingly, 
and muttered, 

" Single I am, and so resolved to be, 
As long as ever Ifoller the sea." 

I have thus endeavored to give a fair sketch 
of our crew and officers. I have no feelings of 
personal animosity against any of them to gratify. 
Those who deserve it will meet the punishment of 
their own guilt, and it is not for me to pronounce 
judgment upon them. I give the result of my own 
observation freely and without prejudice. 

The last subject to which I shall here allude is 
that of ship-keeping. In whalers there is a ship- 
keeper, or a man who attends to the ship when the 
boats are lowered. He is either chosen from among 
the fore-mast hands, or shipped at the port from 
which the vessel sails. The duty of the ship-keeper 



204 SHIP-KEEPING. 

is by no means unimportant. The safety of the 
boats frequently depends upon his vigilance and 
knowledge of sea-craft; and, in cases of accident, 
the lives of the boat's crew are often dependant upon 
him. It is the duty of a ship-keeper to keep the run 
of the whales when the boats are lowered, and to 
make the various signals necessary to indicate their 
situation to the boats. Our signals were arranged in 
the following order : 

Whales up. Signal at the main top-gallant-mast. 

Whales on the weather bow. Weather clew of the 
fore-top-gallant-sail or fore-top-sail up. 

Whales on the lee bow. Lee clew up. 

Whales on the weather beam. Weather clew of 
the fore-top-gallant-sail or fore-top-sail up, and waif 
pointed to windward. 

Whales on the lee beam. Lee clew and waif. 

Whales ahead. Jib down. 

Whales between the boats and ship. Colors at the 
fore and main top-gallant-masts. 

Boat stove. Colors at the fore and mizzen. 

Come aboard. Colors at the peak. 

In small vessels the ship-keeper is allowed two 
hands to assist him in working the ship; but the num- 
ber depends more upon the state of the weather than 
the size of the vessel. 



CROSS THE EQUATOR. 205 



CHAPTER XII. 

Cross the Equator. — Martin Vas Rocks. — Isle of Trinidad. — Bill 
Mann's Account of Governor Trinidad. — A large Albatross. — 
Right Whale Chase. — Christmas Day. — Off the Cape of Good 
Hope. — Tremendous Gale. — Condition of the Vessel. — Passage 
from the Cape to Madagascar. — Kill a Whale off Fort Dauphin. — 
Cape St. Mary. — St. Augustine's Bay. — Cruise in the Mozam- 
bique Channel. — A Fight. — Two Men Flogged. 

November 14.th. — Crossed the equator at two 
o'clock P.M., in longitude 23° west. 

We experienced heavy squalls and much rain on 
our passage to the southward. 

November 25th. — Made Martin Vas Rocks and 
the Isle of Trinidad. 

Martin Vas Rocks are three in number, and pre- 
sent a very singular appearance at the distance of 
a few leagues. They are entirely barren. When 
first visible they resemble three large vessels under 
full sail, but, on a nearer approach, they are found to 
be jagged rocks jutting abruptly out of the sea, with 
continual clouds of spray dashing up from the bases, 
and numbers of sea-birds wheeling around their sum- 
mits. 

The starboard boat was lowered, and the captain 
and a crew of Portuguese went into a little cove in 
the main rock to fish. We hauled off on the lar- 
board tack about three leagues, and then returned. 
The boat came aboard well laden with rock-fish. 



206 TRINIDAD. 

Trinidad is a small island, about six miles in cir- 
cumference, distant twenty miles from Martin Vas 
Rocks. It is uninhabited, owing to the scarcity or 
bad quality of the water. Whalers and other vessels 
short of wood sometimes put in here for a supply. 

Bill Mann, alias Julius Caesar, had visited the Isle 
of Trinidad before, and had a great many curious 
stories to tell about it. Among others, he gave me 
an account of a wild man whom the vessel to which 
he belonged had picked up there under the following 
circumstances. The Champion (the name of the 
vessel) sent a boat ashore for wood. On the return 
of the boat, after putting to sea, a fire was discover- 
ed on the highest peak of the island, which excited 
some curiosity. The Champion stood in for the 
land again, and sent a boat ashore to discover the 
cause of the fire. She was hailed by a man on the 
beach, who was taken in and carried aboard. As 
soon as he recovered the effects of his unexpected 
delivery, he gave the following narrative of his ad- 
venture : He had shipped a few months previously, 
in a Boston whaler, and was very badly treated by 
the captain and his officers. This determined him to 
desert on the first opportunity. The vessel touched 
at Trinidad, and sent her boats ashore for wood. 
Having succeeded in getting ashore, he made his 
escape to the interior of the island, and there con- 
cealed himself in a ravine till the departure of the 
vessel. For six weeks he subsisted on shell-fish, tur- 
tles, and craw-fish, which he picked up on the beach. 



WILD MAN. 207 

He had provided himself with a box of tinder and 
some matches, which he found of great use, as he 
was compelled to light a fire every night to keep the 
wild hogs, his only companions on the island, from 
devouring him. At the time of the arrival of the 
Champion he chanced to be on the opposite side of 
the island. Soon after her departure, he discovered 
her from an eminence. His disappointment, upon 
finding that he had missed the only opportunity he 
should perhaps live to meet with of escaping the fate 
that threatened him, may readily be conceived. The 
distance being too great to attract her attention, he 
was compelled to wait till dark. He then built a 
large fire on an elevated rock, which she perceived. 
He was soon on board, rejoicing in his happy de- 
livery. Bill described this modern Crusoe as a wild, 
uncouth-looking fellow, with a long beard, and the 
eye of a maniac. His sufferings had made him as 
ferocious as a wild beast. The crew humorously 
gave him the soubriquet of " Governor Trinidad," in 
commemoration of the six weeks he had reigned su- 
preme ruler over the Isle of Trinidad. 

At four P.M. we set sail from Martin Vas Rocks, 
steering east-southeast, the weather rough and hazy. 

December 19th. — In the latitude of the Cape of 
Good Hope we caught, with a hook and line, an al- 
batross, measuring twelve feet between the tips of 
the wings. The mate set him adrift with a tally 
round his neck, dated, and marked with the name 
of the vessel. 



208 



WHALE CHASE. 



We passed during the day the carcasses of two 
whales, surrounded for a circuit of several miles by 
Cape pigeons, gulls, Cape hens, and albatrosses. 

December 21st. — Just as the larboard watch was 
called (at twelve M.), the man at the mast-head sung 
out, " There she blows !" I had turned out, and was 
about to go on deck, when I heard the word given 
to lower away the mate's boat. During our watch 
below, the waist boat had lowered after a school of 
finback whales. She was now about five miles off, 
in the midst of the school. The watch on deck 
manned the larboard boat, leaving six or eight hands 
to take care of the ship. Scarcely had she touched 
the water, when the whale rose within a few yards 
of our lee bow. It was perfectly calm ; the surface 
of the water was of glassy smoothness. The whale 
was distinctly visible as he rose to blow. 

" That's a right whale !" said the captain, who had 
ascended the mizzen shrouds to watch the move- 
ments of the boats. " Give him a dart! Don't stave 
your boat !" 

The boat was close upon him in an instant. 
Hitherto he seemed unconscious of the noise and 
confusion around him, or of his proximity lb the ship. 
As the words were echoed back from the boat, and 
the splash of the oars, as she backed away, fell upon 
his ear, he seemed to be a little alarmed, and turned 
flukes, going lazily downward in a diagonal direc- 
tion. Antone, the boat-steerer, let fly his iron, but 
the distance was too great, and it took no effect. 



WHALE CHASE. 209 

" Oh the devil !" shouted the captain, in a tone 
of disappointment ; "I'd have given five dollars for 
that chance. You ain't worth jour salt, you two- 
pence head !" 

While Antone was hauling in the iron, and grum- 
bling at his bad luck, the whale took a little circuit. 
He was visible at a great depth through the trans- 
parent water. The man at the mast-head contin- 
ually indicated his position, being enabled to see him 
at the depth of fifteen or twenty fathoms. He rose, 
at length, within a few feet of the waist, and com- 
menced blowing. 

" Pull ahead ! pull all ! now's your time !" cried 
the mate. 

" Pull all !" was echoed back by the crew, and the 
boat was within dart of him in three or four strokes. 
Antone was so eager to make up for his first failure 
that he overshot the mark this time. The iron 
slightly pricked the whale. Plunging down again, 
the huge creature milled round the stern. The boat 
followed close in his wake ; but his evolutions were 
so sudden that it was difficult to get within dart of 
him. In about ten minutes he rose directly under 
the jib-boom. Antone stood ready with his iron. 
Watching his opportunity, he darted as soon as the 
boat came bow across the head, A tremendous 
hollow roar, like that of an infuriated bull, issued 
from the wounded monster. The blood spouted in 
torrents from his wound. Lashing the water with 

Dd 



210 WHALE CHASE. 

his flukes, he plunged down, covering the boat's 
crew with clouds of blood and spray. 

" You've killed him ! that whale's a fool 1" cried 
the captain. 

" He's dead ! he's dead !" shouted Antone, greatly 
excited ; " I've fixed him !" 

" Dead be d — d ! Clear your line !" thundered 
the mate. " Hold fast now ! pull two oars ! back 
three ! Pull all, now ! Mind what you're about 
there, Mack. D'ye want to get stove 1 Take a 
reef in your eyes, and keep 'em aft here." 

The moment the line was made fast, the boat 
dashed right under our stern with fearful velocity. 
The whale sheered off barely in time to avoid dash- 
ing the boat to atoms against the lee quarter. As 
he rose within a few fathoms of the ship, he uttered 
another frightful roar, and the blood streamed from 
him in torrents, discoloring the water entirely around 
the vessel, so that she actually appeared to float in 
a gory sea. It was evident, however, that no vital 
part had yet been touched. The mate now sprang 
to the bow of the boat, shouting, "Pull, my lads, 
pull !" Before the crew could stop her headway, 
the whale's head rose about six feet out of the wa- 
ter, within half a dart of the boat. Shooting out his 
lance, the mate gave him a gentle prick on the nose ; 
and dashing down with a hollow groan, the goaded 
monster made straight for the ship, towing the boat, 
with incredible swiftness, toward the weather beam. 
For a moment I thought nothing could save her. 



WHALE CHASE. 211 

Her bow was not more than six feet from the vessel, 
when the whale suddenly milled, and thus saved 
her, and perhaps the lives of some of the crew. 

" Stand by to lower the starboard boat !" cried the 
captain. u Til have that whale. Til see whether 
he can be killed or not. Til not lose a good 
chance. He won't have a fool to deal with if 1 get 
within dart of him. Stand by all ! Man the dant 
tackles, and lower away !" 

A moment more, and the starboard boat was in 
hot pursuit. Bill Mann and I were left to take care 
of the ship this time : a circumstance which I did 
not regret, as the sun was pouring down with a 
burning intensity. I went to the mast-head, that I 
might enjoy a better view of the chase. It was now 
truly exciting. We hoisted a signal for the waist 
boat, then about three miles from the scene of ac- 
tion. The mate's boat ploughed the water at the 
rate of ten knots an hour, and increased in speed as 
pain gave fresh impulse to the whale. In about an 
hour the three boats were in a line, running to the 
leeward at a brisk rate. The larboard boat w r as 
head-and-head with the whale at his next rising, and 
the waist boat rapidly bearing down upon him in an 
opposite direction. Ere the lances of either could 
be made use of, he rolled over in his agony, and 
parted the iron of the fast boat with a furious strug- 
gle. He then sounded, leaving the three boats in a 
whirlpool of blood and foam. When next seen, he 
was spouting blood a mile Off; but it was so late in 



212 



STARVED CHRISTMAS. 



the evening that the captain gave up the chase, and 
ordered the boats to return. Thus ended our first 
right whale chase. 

ill 




1. Finback. 



2. Right whale. 3. Sperm whale. 

December 25th. — This was a day of general star- 
vation and discontent. I had never spent such a 
Christmas before, and I devoutly trust I never shall 
again. At sunrise I went to the mast-head. The 
weather was raw and boisterous, and the sea very 
rough. I had three hours aloft, after which I was 
relieved by one of the Portuguese, and went down 
to enjoy the luxuries of a cold pot of coffee and 
some hard biscuit. At dinner-time there was no 
meat for us fit to eat, and the cook had spoiled the 
" duff." Some of the crew went aft to the captain, 
and complained that, as it was Christmas-day, we 
ought to have something to eat; but the captain 
did not seem to consider any such luxury as eating 
and drinking at all due to the crew of a whaler ; so 
we were compelled to take a reef in our belts and 
wait patiently till supper-time. We fared little bet- 
ter then, being short of meat, and having tea unfit 
for use. 



• TERRIBLE GALE. 213 

Decemher 29th. — About two P.M. we crossed the 
meridional line which divides the Atlantic from the 
Indian Ocean, in lat. 37° 19' south. From five P.M. 
till three A.M. we lay becalmed. 

January 8th, 1843. — For the first time since the 
beginning of the year, I am enabled to pen a line in 
my journal. 

On the first of January, a severe gale arose from 
the southwest. The weather had been extremely 
cold for several days previously, and the threatening 
aspect of the clouds gave us due warning of the gale. 
We were obliged to take down the top-gallant-masts 
before night. At nine P.M., furled the spanker and 
gib, close-reefed the top-sails, and soon after furled 
the fore-sail and main-sail. The gale continued to 
increase every hour. At midnight all hands were 
called to take in the waist boat. This was a very 
difficult job, as the sea broke over the vessel with 
such tremendous force as to render it almost impos- 
sible to hoist her off the cranes without staving her 
to atoms against the bulwarks. After an hour's hard 
labor, we got her bottom up on the try-works, where 
she was securely lashed. Next evening we took in 
the larboard and starboard boats, and lashed them to 
the ringbolts on the quarter-deck. On the morning 
of the third the sea raged with all its fury, washing 
the decks fore and aft. Every stitch of sail except 
the main spencer and fore-top-mast stay-sail was tak- 
en in. The condition of the ship at this time baffles 
description. Every sea dashed through the scuttle 



214 BEAUTY OF THE FORECASTLE. 

and drenched the forecastle, flooding our beds, and 
tearing our chests from their cleets. For four days 
we knew nothing of the comfort of a dry bed, a 
change of clothes, or a regular hour's rest. Eating a 
comfortable meal was a species of enjoyment pleas- 
ant enough to reflect upon, but with us a thing of by- 
gone days. The barque rolled so violently in the 
trough of the sea, that it was difficult to sit down 
without being pitched headlong from one side of the 
forecastle to the other. Pots, pans, spoons, and kids 
flew through the air like hail; and occasionally a 
dirty piece of pork, a scrap of hard biscuit, or a pot 
of muddy coffee, might be seen making a desperate 
attempt to escape the extended jaws of half a dozen 
hungry Portuguese. We all ate below ; and if ever 
there was a miniature representation of the Black 
Hole of Calcutta, it was the forecastle of the Styx. 
The scuttle was made as close as possible, to keep 
out the heavy seas, but it also excluded the light and 
fresh air. Some of us lay sprawling on the floor, 
gasping for a breath of pure air ; others lay in their 
bunks, braced up with logs of wood at each side to 
keep them from rolling out. The Portuguese chat- 
tered at the highest pitch of their shrill voices, 
drowning even the roaring of the gale. Bill Mann 
growled worse than ever. "He'd be everlastin'ly 
shivered from clew to earing, if it wasn't the cussedest 
old tub he ever sailed in. Shiver his top-lights if he 
wouldn't like to see her sink. He'd seen vessels be- 
fore — yes, he had, all sorts ; and he had sailed in all 



COMMENTS ON THE SAME. 215 

sorts, and he had taken it rough and tumble in all 
sorts of weather, but a bloody old blabber hunter 
beat all, partic'larly when men got nothing to eat, 
and lived on hard work, and hadn't a forecastle fit 
for a hog to waller in. That was the way to tell it. 
Yes, and he'd let the counsel know how things was 
done, at the first port ; and if he didn't see a counsel 
there, he'd let the President of the United States 
know it, when he got home, if he ever should get 
home, in such a dirty, lubberly, crazy, rotten old 
craft." 

It was really interesting to witness the effects of 
continual annoyances, privations, and hardships 
upon the different characters in the forecastle at a 
time like this. Jack Smith, the rolicking, boister- 
ous young Englishman, told the most marvelous 
stories of the perils he had undergone on divers oc- 
casions, and swore, with a torrent of the most awful 
oaths, that for nineteen days he lay on his back once, 
upon a plank in the middle of the sea, without any 

thing to eat or drink. Barzy M'F seemed to 

look upon all the dangers and hardships of a gale as 
something highly pleasant and amusing, but "he 
didn't know as he'd ever seed any thing like it up 
the Kennebec." Bully employed himself quarreling 
with the Portuguese part of his time, and part yell- 
ing at the top of his voice snatches of obscene songs 
or watch-house ditties. Charley smoked his pipe 
and mended his clothes. Tom Vernon sat with his 
face buried in his hands, meditating upon past times, 



216 STUDY NAVIGATION. 

and apparently unconscious of every thing around 
him. I pitied the poor lad from the bottom of my 
heart, for my feelings were in unison with his. 

On the evening of the sixth, the gale fell off to a 
good steady breeze. Next day we got up the top- 
gallant yards, and set the studding sails. 

Very little worthy of record occurred on our pass- 
age from the Cape of Good Hope to Madagascar. 
The weather was generally rough, and I had few 
opportunities of writing or reading. I commenced 
the study of navigation, however, soon after we en- 
tered the Indian Ocean. Mr. P , the second 

mate, who had all along been a very kind friend to 
me, lent me a copy of Bowditch's Navigator, and al- 
lowed me the use of his instruments. Aided by a 
little instruction from him, I soon mastered the ele- 
mentary branches of navigation, a science with 
which every sea-farer ought to make himself ac- 
quainted, whether before the mast or aft. My 
watches below were divided between this study and 
patching my clothes, which had suffered considera- 
ble wear and tear in the late gales. 

Toward the latter part of January, while steering 
for Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, under lower and top- 
mast studding sails, the man at the top-gallant cross- 
trees saw a spout two miles off the weather-bow. 
The studding sails were hauled in, the main-top-sail 
hauled aback, and the three boats lowered. Our 
boat got the start, but came upon the whale's eye as 
he rose the second time. The starboard boat lay 



WHALE TAKEN. MADAGASCAR. 217 

off, and took him head and head, so that she was 
ready to strike the moment he appeared, and succeed- 
ed in making fast with one iron. The mate's boat 
came up next ; then ours. We gave him two irons, 
but, in backing off the line, got foul of the starboard 
boat, and were obliged to cut away. We hauled 
up by the other line, and gave him a lance or two, 
which dispatched him in a few minutes. 

Owing to the roughness of the sea, w r e had much 
difficulty in getting our prize alongside. This whale 
yielded forty-five barrels of oil, which is considered 
a medium size. The largest sperm whale I ever 
heard of yielded a hundred and twenty barrels. In 
the Indian Ocean whales of that size are not so com- 
mon as in the Pacific. 

January 28th. — While trying out our last whale 
we made Madagascar, in the vicinity of Fort Dau- 
phin. The coast here is high, and, in parts, bold and 
mountainous. At the distance of forty miles the land 
was covered with hazy clouds, giving it a very beau- 
tiful appearance. We cruised off and on for a few 
days in search of whales ; but although we saw sev- 
eral schools, they were making a rapid passage for 
the bays on the coast of Africa, and gave us no 
chance for a chase. 

February 2d. — Rounded Cape St. Mary, the most 
southerly point of Madagascar. The coast here is 
very low. Running down the eastern side of the 
cape, we approached within fifteen miles of the shore, 
at which distance we could discern the huts of the 

E E 



218 MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL. 

natives scattered along the beach, and occasionally a 
canoe. 

February 9th. — After a short cruise in Mozam- 
bique Channel, ran down for Madagascar, which we 
made a few leagues to the southward of St. Augus- 
tine's Bay. At ten A.M. made Sandy Island, or Nos 
Vey, a low sand-bar, covered with a small growth of 
trees, lying seven miles off the mouth of the bay. A 
coral reef, lying near the entrance of the bay, is seen 
from the eastward of Nos Vey. We passed close 
along this little island w T ith the intention of anchor- 
ing ; but finding no vessels in port, the captain deem- 
ed it prudent not to trust to the friendly invitations 
of the natives, who crowded down to the shores in 
great numbers, and hundreds of whom were rapidly 
pulling toward us in a large flotilla of canoes. The 
Sacklaves, a tribe of the Malegashy inhabiting this 
part of the island, are described as a race of blood- 
thirsty and treacherous people, very friendly when a 
large number of vessels are in port, but not to be 
trusted alone or without being well armed. Mr. 

P , our second mate, had spent nearly a month 

in St. Augustine's Bay. He was well acquainted 
with the character of the natives, and had seen a 
shipmate of his murdered by a gang of them for at- 
tempting to recover some stolen property. 

At four P.M. we hauled off, and continued our 
passage up the Mozambique Channel. 

It was expressly laid down in the code of laws 
which the captain gave us a few days after we left 



BELLIGERENT FRIENDSHIP. 219 

New Bedford, that any fighting that was to be done 
would be promptly attended to by himself. Up to 
the time we touched at Fayal the forecastle was tol- 
erably peaceful. Bully had raised a few fights with 
the Portuguese, but they ended without much per- 
sonal damage to the belligerents. When Jack Smith, 
the young Englishman, was shipped, our trouble 
commenced in reality. Jack and Bully were sworn 
friends the moment they met. They went shares in 
every thing. Whatever was Bully's was Jack's, and 
whatever was Jack's belonged to all hands in general, 
and Bully in particular. For the first two or three 
days it was truly an interesting study to watch the 
progress of a spontaneous friendship between these 
two affectionate youths. They made presents to 
each other, spun yarns to each other, sang together, 
and bunked together. Their friendship was so sud- 
den and violent that I very much feared it would be 
of short duration. A week realized all my solicitude. 
They quarreled, cursed each other, parted the bond 
of fellowship, and became bitter enemies. In a few 
days they made up again, and were more devoted 
in their friendship than ever. Their next quarrel 
was more violent than the first, and they did not 
speak a word to each other for a week. However, 
they made up again, and thus continued, quarreling 
and making up, daring each other to fight, and back- 
ing out when it came to the pinch. These quarrels 
kept the forecastle in a perfect ferment. There was 
no peace from one week's end to another. Being 



220 A QUARREL. 

well matched in size and strength, neither wished to 
be the aggressor. At length an accident gave them 
a fair opportunity to test their pugilistic powers. 

One morning, while we were cruising in the Mo- 
zambique Channel, after the word was passed for 
breakfast, Jack started to run down the ladder with a 
pot of hot coffee. Bully had just turned out, and 
was running up. The two heroes came in contact. 
Bully got scalded, and, under the influence of the 
pain, struck Jack. Upon this both parties closed, 
and a desperate fight ensued. They had it up and 
down the forecastle, right and left, here and there, 
for about ten minutes, when Jack took a foul hold 
on Bully. 

" Let me go !" roared Bully. 

" Cry enough !" said Jack. 

" I won't ! let me go !" rejoined Bully. 

" Blow me if I do !" retorted Jack ; and there was 
another scuffle for five or ten minutes. At length 
Bully got clear, and clinched Jack by the shirt col- 
lar. Pressing his knuckles hard upon Jack's neck, 
he continued to tighten his grasp till Jack's face 
turned purple. 

" Cry enough !" shouted Bully. 
. " Give me a chance !" replied Jack, gasping for 
breath. 

" Are you licked V demanded Bully. 

" Not yet !" said Jack. " Give me a knife, some- 
body, or cut my shirt open. Cut ! cut ! I'm chok- 
ing!" 



A FLOGGING. 221 

" Choke and be d— d !" said Bully. 

The advantage was rather on Bully's side, when 
the mate came up to the scene of action, and knock- 
ed him down. 

" Now take that for a foul hold !" said the mate. 

" Mr. D , if there's law in America, I'll have 

it !" said Bully. 

" Don't law me, you infernal scoundrel !" 

" You'll pay for this when you get home, sir !" 

" None of your jaw !" 

" I'll have revenge for that blow !" 

" You will, will you ?" shouted the mate, rushing 
upon him again. Bully dodged, and made his escape. 
As soon as the mate went aft, Bully and Jack went 
to the waist to wash the blood off their faces. The 
captain perceiving what had occurred, called them 
aft, and, without any comment, ordered them to sit 
one on each side of the companion way. When 
breakfast was over in the cabin, the captain came on 
deck, and sang out for the mate. 

" Mr. D , call all hands aft. Come down from 

the mast-head, every body." 

It was my trick at the helm, so that I had an ex- 
cellent opportunity of witnessing the whole scene. 
The hands being ranged at the break of the quarter- 
deck, and the boat-steerers by the main-mast, the 
two belligerents were called up to give an account 
of themselves. 

" Blair, what have you been fighting for ?" de- 
manded the captain. 



222 A FLOGGING. 

Here Bully gave his statement of the difficulty. 

" Jack, what have you been fighting for V 

Jack stated the case very fairly. 

"Now," said the captain, "you've been fighting, 

and I'll flog you both. Mr. D , seize those men 

up!" 

Jack's wrists were lashed to a ratlin on the star- 
board side, and Bully's to a ratlin on the larboard. 
The captain then provided himself with a piece of 
tarred ratlin, and, striding up to Bully, bared the 
man's back. 

" Remember, now, this is for fighting." 

" Oh, for God's sake, don't flog me, captain !" said 
Bully, sensible of the degradation of the punishment 
about to "be inflicted on him. 

" Not a word !" said the captain, whose blood was 
boiling with passion. Take that ! and that ! and 
that ! Do you feel it ? Will you fight again V 

Poor Bully groaned and writhed with agony. 
Each stripe of the ratlin raised a blood-red mark on 
his back. 

" I'll show you how to fight !" roared the captain, 
swinging the ratlin over his shoulder, and raising the 
stripes with every blow. " I'll make an example of 
you ! Take warning, all of you. You see what you 
get for fighting. If that ain't enough, I'll lay it on 
heavier next time. I'll skin your back worse than 
that ! Cut him down now ! See if he'll behave 
himself!" 

J ack's turn came next. At the first stroke he yell- 
ed with all his might. 



A FLOGGING. 223 

" Oh Lord, captain ! Oh, for God's sake ! Oh, 
don't flog me ! I'll never fight again." 

" I'll take care you won't. If you do, I'll lay you 
up for a month. Your back's been itching for a flog- 
ging. Now take it ! Take that ! take that ! Yes, 
you feel it, don't you 1 Cut him down, Mr. D ." 

The mate having cut both the men down, gave 
them a hint to go forward, which they did, limping 
along the decks, scarcely able to walk. 

" That's what you'll all get," said the captain, ad- 
dressing the crew, " if there's any more quarreling. 
I told you so in the beginning. Any of you that 
fight, Til flog. Go forward now, where you be- 
long." 

I was much astonished, upon going forward, after 
being relieved at the helm, to find Jack sitting on the 
windlass eating his breakfast with the utmost good 
humor. 

" Well, B ," said he, looking up and laughing, 

" I've got a licking, but Tm used to it. I don't care 
a tinker's d — n about lickin's now. I served my ap- 
prenticeship to 'em in a man-o'-war." 

Not so with Bully, who for several days was 
gloomy and silent. The Portuguese, with a heart- 
lessness and want of delicacy, so unlike the gener- 
ous regard which the true American sailor has for 
another's feelings under such circumstances, con- 
tinually ridiculed and taunted him, mocking his 
groans, and crying out every time he went below to 
his meals, " Oh, capitan, for God's sake, no flog so 



224 ISLE OF MAKUMBA. 

hard !" Jack took their ridicule with perfect indif- 
ference ; but it cut Bully to the quick. There was 
something diabolical and fiendish in this conduct of 
the Portuguese. Bully was so completely crest-fallen 
that he could not retort upon them ; from the day he 
received the flogging his spirit was broken. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Isle of Makumba. — Wood-cutting and Hot "Weather. — Arrival at 
Bembatooka Bay. — Town of Majunga. — American Traders. — 
Natives. — Liberty Ashore. — Grand Dance. — Dinner at Mohammed 
Desharee's. — Quarrel between the Captain and Mate. — Great 
Fete in Honor of the Governor. — Ambolamboes and Sacklaves. — 
Departure from Madagascar. 

March 6th. — Made Makumba, a small island lying 
within four or five leagues of the main island of 
Madagascar. 

As it was uncertain how soon we should reach 
Bembatooka Bay, and being entirely out of wood, we 
were compelled to run the risk of falling into the 
hands of the natives here, who frequent this island 
as a piratical rendezvous, where they can intercept 
small craft bound to Bembatooka Bay. The waist- 
boat's crew had watch below ; and it being the rule 
for those who were off duty to go ashore, or on any 
expedition like the present, I was lucky enough to 
be among the number chosen for this adventure. 



LANDING FOR WOOD. 225 

The larboard boat was lowered, and manned by Ta- 
bor, Jack Smith, myself, and three or four Portu- 
guese, with the captain to ornament the stern sheets. 
The island did not appear to be more than two 
leagues off when we started ; but, after pulling hard 
for about an hour, it seemed quite as far from us as 
when we were on the deck of the barque. Whether 
this fact was owing to a head wind or an ebb tide, I 
could not say. It reminded me of an island I had 
read of in a beautiful lake presenting a thousand at- 
tractions, but always receding from those who at- 
tempted to reach its favored shores. Sometimes I 
fancied I could see the pebbles on the beach; the 
next moment it seemed as far away as ever. In ad- 
dition to the fatigue of rowing under a burning sun, 
we had a still greater difficulty to contend with. Our 
water keg was nearly empty. Captain A rec- 
ommended us to be very sparing of what we had, 
as there was no water on the island. In about three 
hours from the time of starting, we hauled the boat 
up on a white sand beach. The captain cautioned 
us not to lose sight of the boat, and then ordered us 
to take our axes and start off in search of wood. I 
must confess, when I got out of the " old man's" 
sight, I thought very little about the savages or the 
wood. The novelty and excitement of exercising 
my limbs once more on land, after being cooped up 
for several months in a small barque, were so great 
that I ran up the cliffs like a wild Indian, leaving my 

F F 



226 WILD SCENERY. 

comrades behind me, and shouting for pure joy. In 
my ramble I soon lost sight of the boat. 

The shade of the trees in the interior of the isl- 
and ; the tall, luxuriant grass ; the extreme richness 
of the vegetation, and the grateful perfume of the 
wild flowers, were all indescribably refreshing. I 
grasped up bunches of weeds to enjoy their fra- 
grance, for all the vegetable creation then seemed 
fragrant to me. Eager to see every thing on the 
island, and perceiving no traces of habitation, I as- 
cended the peak, or highest part, from which a 
splendid view may be had of the whole island, and 
the adjacent parts of the coast of Madagascar. 
There is a savage wildness in the prospect peculiar- 
ly striking to one who had never gazed upon any 
save the familiar scenery of civilized countries. The 
boat's crew appeared like little black specks upon 
the beach ; and their voices, mingled with the roar- 
ing of the surf, were the only sounds that reached 
my ear. Far away on the horizon floated our little 
barque, which had drifted from land till her hull was 
barely visible. Clouds piled upon clouds, with 
bright, silvery outlines, hung over the distant hori- 
zon in the most gorgeous array. 1 was lost in the 
magnitude and sublimity of the scene. I thought 
that even the untutored Sacklaves must gaze with 
admiration upon such a manifestation of the might 
and power of the Great Spirit. My enthusiastic 
flights of imagination were suddenly dissipated by 
the harsh voice of the captain, shouting, 



TERRIBLE THIRST. 227 

" You B , where the devil are you ?" 

" Here, sir." 

" Go down, then, and help to get the wood in the 
boat." 

This soon convinced me that I had been day- 
dreaming, and the thought that I was still a slave 
was depressing enough at such a moment. I envied 
the freedom of the sea-gulls as they wheeled past 
me in their sportive nights ; but such thoughts were 
unavailing, and I sprang down the cliffs with my 
axe on my shoulder, to aid my comrades in chop- 
ping the wood and putting it into the boat. The 
sun shone upon the beach with a heat so intense as 
to blister my feet through my shoes. Parched with 
thirst, I made my way to the boat, where I barely 
squeezed enough of water out of the keg to wet my 
lips. The rest of the crew suffered dreadfully from 
thirst. Tabor, as usual, in a good humor, told us to 
"grin and bear it," and he'd insure us a drink of 
switch el when we got aboard. After we had pro- 
cured a sufficient supply of wood to last us to Bem- 
batooka Bay, we sat down on the beach and ate 
some salt pork and bread, which the cook had stow- 
ed away in the boat. I picked up several shells 
and pieces of coral before we pushed off, as relics 
of my visit to Makumba. When we pulled ashore 
we had the land breeze to contend with ; now we 
had the sea breeze against us. This was very pro- 
voking. We were all tired of our day's work, and 
parched with thirst. 



N 



228 TERRIBLE THIRST. 

The barque bore down for the island as soon as 
she took the sea breeze, and was rapidly nearing 
us, when the wind died away again, and left her to 
drift away on the current. I found that the salt 
pork, instead of strengthening me, aggravated my 
thirst to such a degree that I actually thought my 
end was approaching. The heat of the sun, upon 
losing the breeze, became excruciating in its intens- 
ity. How I got over the horrors of that evening I 
can hardly tell. I held out, and pulled my oar as 
long as it was possible to endure the heat and thirst; 
for I would not be outdone by any of my comrades 
while I had the breath of life in my body, or strength 
to lift the oar. At this crisis a light breeze again 
sprang up, and we lay on our oars till the vessel 
reached us. I think I never sprang aboard with 
more joy than I did when we hauled up alongside, 
after all the sufferings of that day. I felt an undis- 
guised affection for every old rope, shovel, broom, 
and handspike aboard ; and even the smell of the 
try- works was agreeable to me. Tabor, true to his 
word, had us a bucket of switchel made. I verily 
believe I drank half a gallon of it before my thirst 
was slaked. I had read in Mungo Park's travels, 
and in the narratives of Denham and Clapperton, of 
the horrors of thirst in the deserts of Africa ; but I 
never really sympathized with those adventurers till 
my visit to Makumba had given me some idea of 
their sufferings. 

March 8th. — Anchored off the mouth of Bemba- 



BEMBATOOKA BAY. 229 

tooka Bay, and lowered the larboard boat. After an 
hour's hard pull against an ebb tide and head wind, 
we rounded Majunga Point, opposite which we 
stopped to take soundings. In half an hour more 
we sounded a long sand-spit, just above the town of 
Majunga. Crowds of the inhabitants came running 
along the beach, inviting us to land. They wore 
turbans of all colors, and long flowing robes of white 
cotton, having a very picturesque appearance. The 
moment we hauled up on the beach we were greet- 
ed by a " good-morning" from the natives, who stood 
there awaiting our approach. The captain went up 
in search of two American traders, who, he under- 
stood, had been left at Majunga to procure cargoes 
of hides for Salem vessels. I was quite surprised to 
hear English so well spoken by a race of people rep- 
resented by travelers as rude barbarians. Several 
of the small boys seemed to be so proud of the few 
words they had learned from the sailors, that they 
made the most ludicrous mistakes in their attempts 
to make themselves understood. I was continually 
addressed by little urchins, not more than nine or 
ten years of age, in the following strain : 

" Me speakee bon goot Engleesh. Me sabe plen- 
ty goot much. How you do dees morning ? Very 
well, tank you ; me much worse better no goot go 
hell Got tarn ! Hein ? Hein 1 You tink me no 
sabe plenty Engleesh V 

Those who could speak the most intelligible Eng- 
lish told me they were from Johanna. 



230 MAJUNGA NATIVES. 

M'F , who, like myself, had never been in a 

savage country before, was very anxious to see 
what the natives looked like, and how they were off 
for "fodder." Taking advantage of the captain's 
absence from the boat, we walked down along the 
beach to the outskirts of the town, where we would 
not be within hailing distance in case we were im- 
mediately called ; being in no hurry to go on board 
again, and hoping the captain, in his anger, would 
leave us ashore till his return in the evening. On 
reaching the lower part of the town, we saw at 
a short distance a snug-looking bamboo hut, sur- 
rounded by banana plants and a few straggling co- 
coa-nut trees. At the door stood two or three of the 
better class of the natives, who beckoned us to ap- 
proach. We did not altogether like the looks of 
one of the party, however, a tall, ferocious-looking 
Ambolambo, whom I took to be a chief, from the 
warlike manner in which he was equipped. He 
was of a dark bronze color, naked to the middle, 
with the exception of a loose robe thrown over his 
left shoulder, and with a most extraordinary head of 
hair frizzed out like rope-yarns, and fantastically 
ornamented with feathers. The remainder of his 
costume consisted of a clouty round the waist, and 
a striped under-garment of native manufacture. In 
his left hand he held a long spear, the pole of which 
rested on the ground. His comrades wore turbans, 
and were apparently of a different tribe or caste. 
Knowing nothing of the character of these people, I 



mack's dialogue. 231 

was somewnat backward about trusting myself in 
their power, so far away from the boat, and consult- 
ed Mack as to the prudence of going any nearer. 

" Never mind," said the " down-easter ;" "lay low 
and keep dark. I'll talk to that 'ere feller. You 
keep close in my wake, though, for I don't like the 
looks on 'em much better than you do." 

I did not altogether like the proposition of my 
comrade, but finding him resolute, I thought it would 
not do to let him go alone. The savage chief con- 
tinued making signs to us to approach. Mack ac- 
cordingly hitched up his breeches, and started for 
the hut, I keeping close by his side. A tall cocOa- 
nut tree a few steps in front of the chief served as a 
sort of mark for a truce ground, in case of hostility. 
Doffing his hat, Mack stepped up, and with an ex- 
pression of mingled apprehension and curiosity, gaz- 
ed in the face of the warlike savage, without utter- 
ing a word. At length, apparently satisfied that 
there was no danger of an attack, he addressed him 
in the most polite manner imaginable : "Good-morn- 
ing, mister ! how d'ye dew, sir ?" 

" Ra kaka chee tooka whocha !" growled the sav- 
age (or something that sounded very much like this, 
for I do not pretend to give his remarks literally). 

" What the nation does the feller mean V inquir- 
ed the " down-easter," somewhat puzzled. " Say 
that again, sir." 

" Crak koo wanee tee cha booz !" 
Gg 



232 mack's dialocue. 

" Well, if that ain't the darndest lingo I ever 
heerd ! I say, old hoss, can't you talk American !" 

" Merikkaan I num whak chee taka-whee." 

" No, no ; not that thar' outlandish nigger talk. 
American!' 

" Merikkaan, si-mairre ! si-mairre !" rejoined the 
savage, with a friendly grin. " Goot, goot, mans !" 

" That's it," said Mack. " I know'd you could 
talk it if you'd only hold your corn-trap straight. 
Now, old feller, suppose you stand treat ? I'll bet 
you've got some liquor in thar' in that little crib o' 
yourn ! What d'ye say 1" 

" Goot, goot, mans !" 

" Well, then, let's have it, hoss." 

" Merikkaan !" 

" I say," exclaimed Mack, a little out of patience, 
"tain't no use to be a foolin'. If you've got the 
liquor, let's have it; and if you haven't, say so at 
once. Maybe you have some oranges or cocoa-nuts ?" 

" Orangee X cokko ? chee whoop ee !" 

" She'll whip me 1 Oh, now I know what he's 
at. He's afraid his wife'll whip him if he lets us 
have any thing. Well, we may's well slope. This 
feller don't know beans from porridge, no how." 

" Naka whozchee koo !" 

" Oh, you needn't try to mend it. You're nothin' 
but a dod-burned nigger, or you wouldn't be so 
mean." 

Hereupon we started to return to the boat, when 
the chief, advancing, took Mack by the arm, and 




BARZY AND THE MADAGASCAR CHIEF. 



DIDDLED OF HIS JACK-KNIFE. 235 

in a very friendly manner began to search his 
pockets. 

" Oh ho ! that's your game, is it ? You'll not find 
much thar', I tell you." 

" Goot, goot, mans !" exclaimed the savage, pull- 
ing out a jack-knife. 

"■Well, what'll you give for it? Come, mister, 
I'm ready for a trade." 

" Whaka boo whoo ! Goot, goot, mans !" 

" You can't come it that way, no how you can fix 
it. If you want to trade, I'll give you the knife for 
a dozen good oranges ; and if you don't, jest hand 
it back. I ain't a goin' to be fooled, no way." 

" Merikkaan goot !" 

" Dod burn you, give me my knife !" shouted 
Mack. 

"Goot!" 

" To h — 1 with your 'goot !' I want my knife." 

" Merikkaan — " 

" Look here, nigger !" roared Mack, flinging down 
his hat in a great passion, " that won't do, no how. 
If you don't give me my knife in tolerable short or- 
der, I'll be into you about as quick as a streak of 
lightnin' !" 

" Trokkoo saab kakakee," replied the chief, coolly 
thrusting the knife in his clouty. 

" Well, sir," said the Yankee, picking up his hat, 
" I'll let you off this time. You don't know no bet- 
ter. But I'll tell you what it is, if I catch you down 
any whar' nigh the boat, I'll give you one of the 



236 WRATH THEREUPON. 

darndest maulins you ever had. If I don't mash 
your ugly figure-head so you won't know whose it 
is, there'll be a most almighty fight, any how. Look 
out for it ! I ain't agoin' to be cheated by any 
dod-burned black-faced nigger no way you can fix 
it, I ain't." 

On our way down to the boat, Mack let his wrath 
loose in a manner so entirely original that I could 
not forbear quizzing him about the loss of his knife. 
This made him very angry, and he protested, if I 
would only go back with him to see fair play, " he'd 
give that nigger a lickin' that would astonish me. 
He'd whale his soul-case till it wouldn't look like 
any thing I'd ever set my eyes on before." I need 
hardly say I declined the banter. 

The captain had not yet arrived at the boat. 
Jack, in whose charge we had left it, was seated in 
the bow, surrounded by a crowd of the natives, with 
whom he was carrying on a rambling conversation in 
broken English. More fortunate than Mack or my- 
self, he had succeeded in bartering his knife for a 
basket of oranges, which he generously shared with 
us ; and we spent half an hour entertaining him with 
a history of our adventure with the chief. 

" I wish Td ha' been there," said Jack ; " I'll war- 
rant you he wouldn't ha' got off so easy. I wouldn't 
ask better fun than to knock the bloody lights out 
of him !" 

I had a good deal of curiosity to see the American 
traders, having been nearly five months without see- 



MEETING AMERICANS. 237 

ing a civilized being, except on board the barque; 
and there were none there particularly civilized. I 
expected a hearty reception from these two fellow- 
adventurers, believing that the sound of a new voice 
to them in their native tongue would be somewhat 
agreeable, after living for a length of time cut off 
from the civilized world. Charley and myself went 
up to the town, leaving Jack, with a crowd of na- 
tives around him, to take care of the boat. We 
found the captain and the two traders seated under 
the portico of a stone house, surrounded by great 
numbers of the natives, and an armed posse of the 
governor's soldiers. One of the Americans was a 
young man of genteel appearance ; the other an el- 
derly man, whom I took to be an Englishman, but I 
was afterward informed he was a citizen of Salem, 
Massachusetts. They both regarded us with a cold 
look of indifference, not deigning to favor us with a 
word. I had forgotten that I was dressed in a greasy 
whaling suit of duck; and for a moment I could 
scarcely realize the idea of American citizens meet- 
ing in a strange land without the least indication of 
that courtesy and civility which are the proverbial 
characteristics of the true American. That they were 
neither Virginians nor Kentuckians was very evi- 
dent ; and, besides, had I reflected upon the fact that 
they were accustomed to keep company with cap- 
tains and other officers, I might have known that poor 
Jack could not reasonably expect any token of rec- 
ognition from them. Still, I thought, as we were 



238 RUN INTO THE BAY. 

a little removed from the discipline of the ship, they 
ought not to have suffered the natives to outdo them 
in good feeling and courtesy toward strangers. 

After the captain had obtained some information 
relative to the town, and the best anchorage, we 
pulled aboard. 

" Man the windlass !" was the first order after din- 
ner. We got under weigh about two o'clock, and, 
having a fair wind, ran straight into the bay, and 
dropped anchor in a favorable position for procuring 
wood and water. During the afternoon we were 
busily employed in breaking out from the hold, hoist- 
ing water casks on deck, and coopering and batten- 
ing them for a raft. Anchor watches were chosen 
for the night, and the rest of us went below to enjoy 
the first uninterrupted night's sleep we had had for 
nearly eight months. 

Next morning after breakfast the mate came for- 
ward, and sang out, " D'ye hear the news there 1 
Get ready to go ashore, the starboard watch." There 
was great commotion in the forecastle on hearing 
this : red shirts, white ducks, and tarpaulins were the 
order of the day. Two of the larboard watch, Jack 
and I, pulled the other watch ashore. On our re- 
turn to the vessel, a raft of casks was ready, which 
we pulled ashore, and rolled upon the beach. We 
then went back for the rest of the watch. By sun- 
down we had filled the casks, towed them alongside, 
and hoisted them aboard with a Spanish burden. 

In the larboard watch there were D , the 



RAMBLE ASHORE. 239 

cooper, Antoine, Enos, Frank, and the cook, Portu- 
guese, and Jack Smith, Bill Mann, and myself. It 
was our liberty day ashore next. 

Early after breakfast we went aft in our best sea- 
rig for calico and cotton handkerchiefs, about a dol- 
lar's worth of which was allowed each of the crew 
to barter with the natives. At the suggestion of some 
of the watch, I put my flute in my pocket. I was 
afterward very glad of it, as it procured me a kind 
reception wherever I went. The Portuguese went 
off to a grog-shop, kept by a native, who understood 
a little English ; and Jack hauled up at the first hut 
where there were women. 

Accompanied by my friend D the cooper, I 

started off on a ramble to see the town. The houses 
are built of bamboo, and thatched with the leaves of 
the cocoa-nut tree. There is little furniture in them, 
except mats to sit upon, and a catanda or bamboo 
bedstead. The doors are about three feet high, so 
that the occupants are obliged to crawl in on all 
fours. Majunga has a population at this time of 
about six thousand ; but during the reign of the great 
warrior Radama, it was much larger, having been 
burned down several times since. 

As D and I strolled along the principal street, 

we were hailed in good English by a black fellow 
sitting at the door of one of the huts, who proved, 
upon a nearer approach, to be Davy, a native, who 
had been several times aboard our ship. He had 
visited America in a whaler, and understood the 



240 THE POISONED MAJUNGAN 

English language very well. Davy invited us into 

the hut, where we found Mr. D and Bill Mann 

very agreeably situated between two copper-colored 
girls. Not wishing to disturb them, we hastened out 
as soon as possible, and made our way to the house 
of Mamoousa, one of the governor's officers, who 
had given us a very cordial invitation, when on board, 
to call upon him. It was a neat bamboo hut, situated 
near the market square, and formed quite a pleasant 
retreat from the heat of the sun. While seated upon 
a mat, enjoying a refreshing draught of air, I observed, 
sitting outside the back door, the most remarkable 
specimen of the human species I had ever seen — a 
living skeleton. The poor creature was seated with 
his back against the house, under the full blaze of a 
noonday sun. There was not a particle of flesh 
visible on his bones. As he wore no clothing, with 
the exception of a rag around his waist, the extreme 
emaciation of his form was entirely exposed. In 
many parts the naked bones were visible. Ma- 
moousa informed me that this poor fellow had re- 
ceived a wound in the wars with the Sacklaves with 
a poisoned arrow, which wasted him away to his 
present pitiable condition. 

Our hospitable friend treated us to some cocoa- 
nuts and bananas, and introduced us to a couple of 
his wives, who, he gave us to understand, were at 

our service. D had always been lecturing us 

on board the vessel for all the carnal vices of our 
nature, and especially the lusts of the flesh, which, 



D 's MORMON MORALITY. 241 

he maintained, were not only in conflict with the 
Mormon doctrine, but with every moral principle 
which ought to guide us in our way through life. 
He had also maintained, by repeated quotations from 
the codes of his church, that all illicit indulgences 
were most heinous and flagrant violations of the 
Mormon religion ; a religion which, if embraced by 
mankind in general, would insure them a happy rest- 
ing-place beyond the skies. Moreover, D never 

swore, or heard the sailors make use of obscene 
language, without giving them a great deal of whole- 
some advice. With such a companion, therefore, I 
would have felt perfectly secure from temptation had 
Mamoousa's ladies been much more attractive than 
they were ; but they were sufficiently disgusting in 
themselves to keep me at a safe distance from them. 
Not so with my pious friend ; for, while I was con- 
versing with Mamoousa, D was engaged in a 

very suspicious pantomimic conversation with one 
of the dusky dames. I presume his object was 
merely to give her a lecture upon the great beauties 
and benefits of the Mormon doctrine ; at all events, 
it would be uncharitable to put any other construc- 
tion upon his mysterious proceedings. 

In about an hour, the mate and Davy called by 
for us to go to a dinner, which was ready up at Da- 
vy's house. We gladly accepted the invitation, and 
made all possible haste to the hut of our good friend. 
The dinner , consisted of beef, soup, rice, boiled 
maize, and melons, which was something new to 

H H 



242 RAMBLE THROUGH THE TOWN. 

us, at least. We made a hearty meal, and remuner- 
ated Davy for his kindness by presenting him with 
a few yards of calico and a red flannel shirt. 

On our return toward the market-place, a melan- 
choly object attracted my attention. In the middle 
of the ruins of a stone building, without a roof, sat a 
poor negro chained to a rock, and so covered with 
stripes and sores as to bear the appearance rather of 
a putrefied corpse than of a living being. I was told 
by one of the natives that this poor wretch was a 
native of Mozambique, who had wounded one of 
the governor's subjects with an axe. The governor 
had sent an account of the affair to the queen, who 
ordered the prisoner to be kept in irons till the de- 
cease or recovery of the wounded man should de- 
cide his fate. He had been in the situation in 
which we saw him for two months, and had entire- 
ly lost his hearing and the use of his limbs from the 
heavy night dews, and the cruelties inflicted upon 
him by his keepers. As he sat with his back against 
the rock, groaning in agony, and loaded with chains, 
I thought there could not be a more pitiable object 
upon the face of the earth. We gave him a few 
plugs of tobacco and passed on. 

D and I, determined to see every thing curi- 
ous about town, struck out through a labyrinth of 
by-streets and alleys. We had reached the out- 
skirts of the town, and were pushing our way 
through an avenue of bushes, when a voice from a 
shantee, or hut, at a little distance hailed us : " Hello, 



SMOKE-HOUSE. 243 

whar' you goin"? Come dis way; dis de place for 
white man." We went to the door of the hut, 
which was clouded with smoke issuing from within. 
I thought at first that the whole concern was on fire. 
Peering through the smoke, however, we recognized 
the dusky face of our friend Davy, who, grinning 
from ear to ear, invited us to walk in and take a 
smoke. 

This was what the natives call a smoke-house, 
where they pay so much a week to enjoy a gossip 
over the pipe. There were five or six Ambolambos 
squatted around a small fire, one of whom, the pro- 
prietor of the establishment, was employed in filling 
a large earthen pipe, the lower part of which con- 
tained water. This he passed round, giving each 
of the company a few puffs. Davy told us that it 
was a favorite substitute for rum, producing all the 
excitement of strong liquor without the evil effects. 
When carried to excess, it excites the system like 
exhilarating gas. The savage energy with which 
the natives in the hut went to work was really 
amusing. The smoke rolled up in dense volumes, 
and the perspiration teemed in streams from their 
dusky faces. Davy requested us to keep a sharp 
look-out, and he would show us how to enjoy a 
smoke. Stripping himself stark naked, he braced 
himself firmly against the wall, and took hold of the 
pipe. For several minutes he sucked with all his 
might as rapidly as he could gain breath. With ex- 
cited features and distended breast he continued at 



244 MAJUNGAN MARKET. 

this till entirely enveloped in smoke, when he paus- 
ed from sheer exhaustion. The dense clouds around 
him clearing away, he again became visible, the 
perspiration teeming down his face, his eyes closed, 
and his whole countenance betokening great comfort 
and satisfaction. This operation he repeated fre- 
quently till entirely drunk. 

We left the hut highly entertained with the exhi- 
bition we had seen. In the course of our peregrina- 
tions we found our way to the public market-place, 
where new objects of curiosity attracted our atten- 
tion. The butchers were squatted down under 
bamboo sheds, engaged in cutting up beef, weighing 
small pieces of silver, which form the currency of 
Majunga, and stowing away rice and other commod- 
ities, which they receive in exchange for meat. Scat- 
tered along through the market-place are several 
grog-shops or drinking-houses. Any one who is 
rich enough to buy a barrel of rum from a vessel 
trading between Majunga and the Isle of France 
can set up an establishment of this sort ; the entire 
stock necessary being a barrel of rum and a gourd 
or cup. Besides beef and rice, the only articles we 
saw offered for sale were straw baskets, honey, 
plums, mangoes, lemons, melons, oranges, bananas, 
queen's ware, and a kind of cloth manufactured by 
the natives from the bark of the cocoa-nut tree. A 
stranger, ignorant of the actual value of such things, 
is charged double price for them. The currency is 
silver. Dollars are cut up into various-sized pieces, 



MADAGASCAN BULLOCK. 245 

from the value of a cent up to ninety-nine cents. 
To prevent imposition, all who have considerable 
dealing to do keep small scales, with which they 
weigh the money. It is not an uncommon thing to 
see brokers' offices even in this savage land. A 
desk containing weights, pieces of silver, and a pair 
of scales, constitutes all that is necessary for an es- 
tablishment of this description. 

The Madagascan bullock is not unlike the buffalo 
in appearance, but of a lighter and more active 
build. It has the hump on the shoulder, the thin 
flanks, and deep chest. The hair is short and sleek, 
and the legs formed for fleetness. As they run wild 
about the island in large herds, their flesh is tough 
and muscular, and, of course, not to be compared 
with our domestic cattle. The hides are purchased 
from the natives in large quantities by the traders 
stationed at Majunga for that purpose. Nothing 
can be more cruel and disgusting than the manner 
in which cattle are butchered here. The victim is 
made fast to four stakes firmly driven in the ground, 
so that he can not move, and in that situation is at- 
tacked by a gang of boys and men, armed with 
knives and axes, who chop and hew at him till his 
limbs are cut away, and he falls to the ground, bel- 
lowing with pain. I saw a bullock butchered in 
this way, which, to prolong the sport, was suffered 
to run around the market square for nearly an hour 
on three legs, with a gang of boys after him, yelling 
and laughing at the attempts of the poor animal to 
escape. 



246 governor's palace. 

While examining every object of curiosity in the 
market-place, the mate came along and invited us to 
accompany him to the fort and the governor's pal- 
ace. A pleasant walk of about half a mile brought 
us to the top of a hill upon which the fort stood, di- 
rectly in front of the governor's residence. The 
gate was guarded by a number of soldiers, armed 
with spears and muskets. We sat down on a low 
stone wall in front, not being allowed to enter the 
premises of his sable mightiness, Hoy Audrimaro, 
without a permit from himself or his chief officers. 
Within the inclosure is a tall staff with a white flag 
bearing the name of the queen in large black letters : 
RANARALO MANJAKO. 

The captains of vessels are allowed to visit the 
governor at any time ; but sailors and subordinates 
are treated with a dignified contempt by this impor- 
tant functionary. Bearing in mind that " music hath 
eharms," &c, I drew out my flute, and, as a number 
of the soldiers had already seen it in the town, they 
gathered around me in crowds to hear me play. I 
struck up " O dolce concento," with variations. At 
the end of each variation they clapped their hands, 
and cried out, " Maivre ! maivre !" signifying " Good ! 
good !" accompanying this exclamation with a grunt 
of astonishment. They had apparently never seen 
a flute. I found that fiddles and banjoes were quite 
familiar to them, and many of them had instruments 
of this kind rudely constructed by themselves. They 
use an instrument made of reed, somewhat like a 



MADAGASCAN MUSIC. 247 

flute, and a " bambooa," or large bamboo, about two 
feet long, with strings peeled from the bark, under 
which are placed pieces of wood, forming a rude 
imitation of the guitar, and not unlike it in sound. 
While I was entertaining the soldiers with my flute, 
the governor's secretary, Ami Selamica, a small, dark 
man, habited in a light cotton robe, and armed with 
a spear, came to the gate and listened with great at- 
tention until I had concluded, when he expressed his 
satisfaction in good English, and requested me to 
play a waltz. Wishing to know if he really had 
any idea of the difference between the time of one 
tune and another, I asked him to whistle the waltz 
he wished me to play. To my great surprise, he 
gave me with great accuracy the Queen of Prussia's 
waltz. I had much curiosity to get a better view of 
the governor's palace than we had from the outside 
of the gate, and I told Selamica if he wished me to 
play I must go in, as the crowd was too great out- 
side. Eying me very keenly, he observed, " Gov- 
ernor no allow sailor in. Are you sailor V 

Knowing that sailors were not admitted, I replied, 

« Why do you take me to be a sailor ?" 

" You wear blue shirt." 

" True, but any body can wear a blue shirt. You 
don't know whether I'm a sailor or not. Perhaps 
I'm the captain's son." 

" Capitan's son ? Oh well, suppose you capitan's 
son, I go see the governor. Stay there. Presently 
Selamica return ;" and, so saying, the secretary went 
off full speed to see the governor. 



248 A WALK OVER THE HILLS. 

D and the mate were highly amused at the 

trick about to be played upon Selamica and the 
governor ; but my scheme was frustrated by the fact 
that his sable highness was taking a nap and could 
not be disturbed. The secretary, however, shook 
hands with me as I was going away, and invited me 
to call again, promising to speak to Hoy Audrimaro 
of my musical powers, and obtain leave to admit me. 

The mate, D , aud myself, spent the remain- 
der of the evening walking over the hills, aud en- 
joying the refreshing sea breeze. The scenery in 
the vicinity of Majunga is not very prepossessing, 
being barren and rocky, and the vegetation crisped 
by the burning rays of a tropical sun. The beach 
is in many places of snowy whiteness, which ren- 
ders it very painful to the eyes at particular periods 
of the day when it reflects the sun's rays. Within 
range of the eye are the opposite shores of Bemba- 
tooka Bay, presenting a dreary waste of inhospita- 
ble rocks and inland, and a succession of hills and 
barren land, with scarcely a patch under cultivation. 
On the margin of the bay, near the lower part of the 
town, are a few plantations very indifferently culti- 
vated. 

It was nearly sundown when we reached the 
landing. The waist boat was already waiting for 
us, and, as soon as the stray liberty men could be 
gathered together, we went on board, having thus 
spent our first liberty day. 

The captain and mate were still on very bad 



a "greasy" quarrel. 249 

terms. Nothing went right ; nothing suited the " old 
man." He was continually snapping at the officers, 
and particularly at the mate, against whom he en- 
tertained the most inveterate feelings of enmity. As 
a natural consequence, there was a general relaxa- 
tion of discipline, and all hands did pretty much as 
they pleased when out of the captain's sight. He 
annoyed the mate in every possible way, and the 
mate retaliated by abusing him before the men ; so 
that, to use his own language, " the barque was go- 
ing to the devil as fast as she could." 

During the middle watch one night, while we lay 
at Majunga, a squall came on. We began to drag 
anchor. The mate was unwell, and the man on 
deck called the captain. When he came on deck, 
he found a pile of casks on the chain of the starboard 
anchor. In a furious passion, he called upon the 

mate to turn out. As soon as Mr. D made his 

appearance, the captain turned fiercely upon him, 
and addressed him in the most violent language, part 
of which was drowned by the roaring of the squall. 
I could just hear the conclusion of his harangue: 

" Mr. D , you lied to me. You told me a 

d — d lie. You said the chains were clear before I 
turned in." 

" And so they were, sir. I left them clear." 

"Do you call these clear? Mind what you say. 
Don't lie to me ! don't lie to me ! I'll lam you bet- 
ter ! I'll show you how to lie to me, d — n you !" 

" Captain A , I'm not used to such language 

I i 



250 THE CAPTAIN AND MATE. 

from any man. You can believe what I tell you or 
not ; but don't tell me I lie, sir. I'll not stand it !" 

" I'll tell you what, then, if you can't pay more 
attention to your duty, I'll do your duty. I'll do it 
for you. Take warning, now. I've talked to you 
before." 

" I've always done my duty, Captain A ." 

" You have not ! Do you mean to tell me I lie 1" 

" Take it as you like, sir; you're determined not 
to be pleased with any thing I do ; and, to tell you 

the truth, Captain A , I don't care a curse 

whether you're pleased or not. My heart's blood 
wouldn't satisfy you. I've tried to satisfy you, but 
all h — 1 wouldn't do it." 

" None of your slack-jaw ! I've always seen mates 
obey orders without a word." 

" I've always seen captains attend to their own 
business. You interfere too much for your own 
good." 

" I'll make you attend to yours as long as you're 
mate of this ship. I've had enough of your insolence ; 
I'll make you know your place hereafter." 

" You can begin now, if you like, Captain A . 

I'm ready for you at any moment— in any shape. If 
you don't like what I say, you can help yourself. 
Come ahead, if you want satisfaction. I'm the man 
for you !" 

Like all bullies, the captain was a coward at heart; 
and the moment he thought there was some danger 
of a collision, he walked aft, muttering, 



MOHAMMED DESHAREE. 251 

" I wish to God you were out of the ship." 

" I wish I was I" retorted the mate ; " and the 
sooner the better. Put me out just as soon as you 
please." 

The squall above and the squall below ended at 
the same time. As soon as we got the chain clear 
we went below, highly edified with the rhetorical 
exhibition we had just enjoyed. 

I spent my next day's liberty even more agreeably 

than the first. My friend D and I had received 

an invitation on board the barque to dine with a na- 
tive of Johanna, Mohammed Desharee, reputed to 
be a man of wealth and distinction. We had given 
him numerous presents, and treated him with much 
civility and attention, so that we looked for quite a 
blow-out on our liberty day. When we got ashore, 
we were met by Mohammed on the beach, ready to 
conduct us to his house. He invited the whole 
watch to partake of the entertainment. 

We found Mohammed's house quite a palace in 
comparison with the generality of houses in Majun- 
ga. It was a large bamboo building, thatched with 
palmetto, and whitewashed outside. The interior 
was fitted up in the most curious and fantastic style. 
The walls were covered with Chinese plates, Ameri- 
can looking-glasses, Arabian fans, flags of different 
nations, Chinese pictures, old copper plates with in- 
scriptions, Egyptian relics and charms, and various 
other curiosities. In the sitting-room were two 
sofas, with silk cushions, ornamented with gaudy 

7| 7). MUM ktwk 



252 VAST LIBERALITY. 

fringe-work. Mohammed informed us, with a look 
of pride and exultation, that " this house was his ; 
all this property was his; he had four wives, two 
hundred slaves, five hundred head of cattle, two 
plantations near Majunga, and one in Johanna — all 
his." Notwithstanding his' riches, he wanted pay- 
ment for the dinner we were about to get, and that, 
too, before we ate it. We offered him a new shirt 
and several fathoms of calico ; but he refused them 
with disdain, saying, " Give me more ; I can no give 
you dinner for dis." Cursing the fellow for his 
meanness, we started off in high dudgeon to dine 

aboard the ship. He called D and me back, 

protesting that he did not intend to offend us ; but 
that we had hurt his feelings by offering him any 
thing at all. After a long harangue, he wound up by 
asking us two to dine with him " as brothers," assur- 
ing us that he loved us " all de same as himself." 
The rest of the crew were mean time hull-down; 
and having no desire to go aboard, D and my- 
self remained, determined at least to be even with 
him for his meanness in some way. 

By-and-by a table was carried in about two feet 
long, and a foot and a half wide. I now began to 
suspect the true cause of his treating our watch so 
cavalierly. He had boasted extensively of his great 
wealth; but the fact was, he neither had a table large 
enough to accommodate us all, nor more than three 
or four whole plates ; and his vanity was too great 
to bear the humiliation of making a confession of the 



GREAT DINNER. NO SPOONS. 253 

actual state of his household affairs. Dinner was 
served with all the pomp and display of a public 
banquet at one of the best hotels. The word was 
passed, a back door was thrown open, and six or 
eight slaves, each bearing something, entered in In- 
dian file. After all the ceremony of setting the table, 
we had nothing to eat but a few hard-boiled eggs, 
a plate of rice, another of fish, and a panful of rice 
batter cakes. The table being too small to contain 
all, we were obliged to set some of the dishes on the 
chairs, and, so situated, my friend and myself sat 
down ; Mohammed, seeing us look round apparently 
in want of something (which was true enough, as 
there were no knives or spoons visible), told us to 
"eat plenty much." Seeing no other resource, I 
took out a small pen-knife, which I fortunately had 
in my pocket. D was better off] having a jack- 
knife, and a fork with two prongs. I made some 
laughable attempts to devour the rice with my pen- 
knife. It was too slow a process, however, for a 
half-famished wTialeman, and I commenced attacking 
the dishes with my hands. Mohammed seeing the 
difficulty, called to one of his slaves, who brought 
me a spoon. With this I got along well enough. 

We ate a hearty meal, such as it was ; after which 
we took possession of the sofas, lighted a couple of 
cigars, and lay smoking like nabobs for an hour or 
two. Mohammed talked incessantly of his immense 
possessions, giving us to understand that he was the 
richest and most distinguished man in Majunga. 



254 FRESH COCOA-NUTS. 

When we were done smoking, he asked us to walk 
out to his plantation, which was about a mile below 
the town. We gladly agreed to the proposal ; and 
off we started through groves of underwood, brakes, 
and lagoons. In half an hour we arrived at the 
plantation, which was indeed a very pleasant place. 
The wide-spreading mangroves afforded us a cool 
and delightful shade, while the tall cocoa-nut trees, 
freighted with fruit, promised us something refresh- 
ing to the palate. 

Mohammed called a little boy, and ordered him 
to climb one of the trees for cocoa-nuts. With the 
aid of a piece of kyaa rope, which he placed in 
niches cut in the tree, the boy soon reached the 
top, and threw down the cocoa-nuts in abundance. 
This delicious fruit can only be enjoyed in perfec- 
tion when eaten green, and directly from the tree. 
The milk is then rich and sweet ; the pulp delicious, 
resembling white jelly or blanc-mange in appearance. 
We sat for about an hour under the refreshing shade 
of the trees, highly amused by the egotism of Mo- 
hammed Desharee. 

"These groves," said he, "of cocoa-nut trees, man- 
groves, oranges, plums; these fields of rice, maize, 
and plantains ; these houses, and all the slaves you 
see, are mine — all mine." 

With this and other remarks of the kind he amus- 
ed us, until the sun warned us to return to the boat 
landing. 

The boat not having arrived, we wound up the 




music. 255 

pleasures of the day at the market-place. I shall 
never forget the fun we had that evening. The sun 
had set, and the whole square was occupied by Mo- 
hammedan grandees, squatted on the ground, enjoy- 
ing the cool of the evening, and chatting over the 
affairs of the day. I was hailed by a general cry of 
" Music, music." Drawing out my flute, I struck up 
" Clar de Kitchen," upon which an old man with a 
long white beard jumped up, clapping his hands and 
dancing about in great glee. He was followed by 
others, who crowded around me, till I presently 
found myself surrounded by the whole group of 
grave old Mussulmans, all dancing and shouting as 
if possessed of the devil. 

" Well done, Jack ! play on ! Maivre ! maivre !" 
was sung out at the end of every tune. Others, see- 
ing the fun, came running from all quarters, and in 
less than ten minutes I verily believe there were 
over two hundred men and boys, from eighty to five 
years of age, all shouting and capering around me. 
A gang of lads with drums came up and joined me ; 
and such a confusion of sounds I never heard as 
was made that evening. I received the thanks and 
cordial good wishes of the whole company, with in- 
vitations to call at their houses and dine with them 
my next liberty day. The boat having by this time 
arrived, we went on board to pay for our frolic by 
hard work next day. Whenever I went ashore af- 
ter the spree at the market-place, I was hailed from 
all quarters for " music." 



256 MAJUNGA POPULATION. 

Majunga is situated on the northeast side of Mad- 
agascar. The inhabitants are mixed races, but chief- 
ly of the Ambolamboe tribe, the most powerful of the 
Malegash. The wealthiest residents are descend- 
ants of the Arabs, from Johanna, Zanzibar, and the 
coast of Africa. The population of the town is 
composed of the Malegash, Sowhelians, a race be- 
tween the Arab and the African, natives of Zanzibar 
and the Cormoro Islands, Africans, Hindoos, and 
Jews from the East Indies. 

Beef, rice, fish, maize, potatoes, cassada root, 
yams, and fruit, are the principal articles of provi- 
sion. 

The governor, Hoy Audrimaro, who derives his 
office from the queen, has great power, and is very 
much feared by the lower classes. His residence is 
situated on the top of a hill, about half a mile back 
of the town. An avenue, hedged in with bushes, 
and shaded with cocoa-nut, mangrove, and orange 
trees, leads up to the large massive wooden gate, 
which I have already alluded to as situated at the 
entrance of the square in which the palace stands. 
This gate is usually guarded by a corps of Ambo- 
lamboes armed with spears and muskets. 

The northern part of Madagascar is now under 
the dominion of a queen, whose name is Ranavalo 
Manjako. This is the most civilized part of the 
island. It is inhabited by Ambolamboes and strag- 
gling parties of the Sacklave tribe. The two great 
tribes are the Ambolamboes and the Sacklaves — one 



THE AMBOLAMBOES. 257 

occupying the northern, and the other the southern 
parts of Madagascar. There is also a powerful tribe, 
inhabiting the central and mountainous parts of the 
island, called the Orahs. The Sacklaves and Ambo- 
lamboes have been engaged in a sanguinary war for 
upward of thirty years, and there is yet no prospect 
of its termination. 

I saw more cripples in Majunga than I had ever 
seen in any place of its size. Most of them had 
been wounded in the war with the Sacklaves, who 
use poisoned spears, the slightest wound of which 
is fatal, producing a sore that gradually destroys the 
whole body. 

The Ambolamboes are a fine race of men ; tall, 
athletic, and well formed. Their simple costume 
displays their fine proportions and muscular limbs to 
great advantage. They are an indolent people, and, 
perhaps, owing to the fact that they do but little 
work, their hands are remarkably small. Constant 
exercise with the spear and war-club develops the 
muscles of the arms and chest, and renders them ex- 
tremely powerful antagonists. I noticed but little 
distinction between the Ambolamboes and Sack- 
laves, except that of wearing the hair. The Ambo- 
lamboes leave it in its natural bushy state, sometimes 
ornamented with beads. The Sacklaves all wear 
their hair braided. Over the forehead are two wide 
braids covering the temples, and curiously drawn 
across the eyebrows, giving the countenance a stern 
cast, which is increased by a short mustache, and a 

Kk 



258 AMUSEMENTS AMONG THE NATIVES. 

tuft of beard on the chin. With their highly-pol- 
ished spears and flowing robes thrown gracefully 
over the left shoulder, they are decidedly as warlike 
and fine-looking a tribe as one could wish to see. 
Those of the Sacklaves residing at Majunga are 
subjects of the queen, who had been taken prisoners 
in the war. If they attempt to make their escape or 
take up arms against the queen, they are instantly 
beheaded. 

Music and dancing are favorite pastimes with the 
Malegash. The young Ambolamboes in Majunga 
have a pole erected in the market-place, with niches 
in it, upon which they hang half a dozen drums ev- 
ery evening, and beat upon these and dance around 
them half the night. We could scarcely sleep on 
board the vessel in consequence of the uproar kept 
up at night by these drummers and dancers. 

There are several mosques in the town, in which 
the Mohammedans perform their devotions. Their 
manner of calling together their congregations is 
somewhat singular. Within a few yards of the well 
from which we procured our water stands one of 
these mosques. The back entrance faces the well. 
I saw numbers of natives performing their ablutions 
in a large trough of water, but paid little attention to 
what was going on. Presently my ears were stun- 
ned by a voice at the door of the mosque, shouting, 
in a wild, melancholy key, " Alla-ak-ba! AUa-ak-ba!" 
Casting my eye around to see whence the sounds 
proceeded, I saw standing at the mosque door a tall, 



PREPARATION FOR VISITORS. 259 

powerful man, dressed in white, with a turban on 
his head, shouting at the highest pitch of his voice, 
" Alla-ak-ba !" followed by a long rigmarole not very 
intelligible to me. His hands were placed against 
his ears, as if to shut out his own wailing cry. 
About every five minutes he turned toward the pul- 
pit and muttered a short prayer, and then resumed 
his dismal " Alla-ak-ba !" 

Gambling is a favorite pursuit of the people of 
Majunga. Seated at the doors of the houses may 
be seen at all times of the day groups of gamblers 
playing the exciting game. 

On Saturday the captain dined with the govern- 
or. In return, the governor was invited to dine 
on board the barque. Mamoousa was desired to 
explain that it was not customary for his excellency 
to visit vessels belonging to foreign countries, but 
that a deputation of the officers of the palace would 
be sent to represent him. 

On Monday, at twelve o'clock, we prepared our- 
selves to receive our distinguished visitors. They 
came alongside in a large canoe, highly decorated 
with ornamental fringe-work. In entering the cabin, 
the following was the order observed : 

General Merimaro, chief commanding officer. 

Melanzoone, captain of the fort. 

Mamoousa, captain of the body guards. 

Ami Salamica, secretary to the governor. 

Risalvo, first officer of the port. 

Rinejaro, treasurer, followed by several subordinate 
officers. 



260 THE REPAST. 

These distinguished gentry were habited in vari- 
ous costumes, betokening their different ranks. Gen- 
eral Merimaro was as black as the ace of spades, 
and looked for all the world like a servant in livery. 
Mamoousa wore an English dress, which seemed to 
sit very awkwardly on him. The rest of the com- 
pany were dressed in the native costume of the Am- 
bolamboes, which is decidedly the most appropriate 
and picturesque dress they wear. 

The dinner surpassed, in abundance and grandeur, 
any thing ever before given by our captain. It was, 
indeed, quite a matter of speculation for us, who 
looked at the proceedings with utter amazement, 
actually believing something had operated upon the 
captain's bowels of liberality. Two of the hands, 
Bully and Enos, were called aft to wait upon the 
darkies ; an honor which had been tendered to me, 
but which I most respectfully declined, notwithstand- 
ing the tempting prospect of stray crumbs from the 
table. There was one pie, a real chicken pie; not 
very large, to be sure, for twelve or fifteen persons ; 
but it was a chicken pie ! and there was a piece of 
fresh beef, and a piece of salt beef, and a piece of 
fat pork ! These were the substantials, particularly 
the pork, which, it was very well known, the na- 
tives would not eat. Then there was for dessert 
one bottle of wine, some molasses and water, and a 
kid of ship-bread ! Oh ! it was " a sadly touching 
sight" to stand by the cook's galley and witness the 
disappearance, one after another, of all these rarities; 



CONCLUDING THE BANQUET. 261 

to be regaled with odoriferous fumes from the pass- 
ing dishes ; to see the steward dive down the com- 
panion-way to that " bourne whence no morsel re- 
turneth;" and yet, with whetted appetites, and a 
perfect appreciation of all that is savory, palatable, 
and refreshing, to be compelled to make a miserable 
meal of the remnants of dirty bread in the forecastle, 
sour molasses, and a few scraps of old horse. 

We lay about the forecastle deck smoking and 
talking, while the captain was entertaining his com- 
pany. From the uproarious noises which we occa- 
sionally heard, it was quite evident that the sable 
gentry and their generous host were enjoying them- 
selves to their entire satisfaction. Dinner over, the 
captain took out his calicoes, and, favored by the 
good-humor of his company, commenced trading 
with them. They knew too well the value of goods 
to be cheated ; and none of them would submit to 
his extortions, when they could purchase goods from 
the trader ashore, of a better quality, for half the 
price. The result was that there was a general war 
of words, and the entertainment broke up with ill 
feeling on both sides. I went aft to the scuttle-butt 
to hear what was going on. Mamoousa, as he was 
about to jump over into the canoe, whispered in my 
ear, " You got one mean capitan. He no like Ameri- 
can man!" The whole procession moved toward 
the gangway in disorder and confusion, and jumped 
over into the canoe, vociferating sundry benedictions 
on the barque Styx. 



Z\J*, ^li^u Uf FAKJ5 ax u ^ J «„aiO0KA. 

Our recruit at Bambatooka Bay consisted of a 
very stingy supply of fresh meat and fruifc, which 
lasted us about two weeks. Some of the officers 
procured a couple of mokaks and a Madagascar pup. 
The pup was called Mamoousa, and of course was 
a good Mohammedan. It was very amusing to see 
the effect produced upon him by the sight of a litter 
of pigs which we had on board. Whenever they 
got him into a tight corner, they were sure to give 
him a thrashing; but, being a good Mohammedan, he 
could not be forced to defile his teeth with the filthy 
swine. 

Rajapoot, a native, who had agreed to furnish us 
with wood, brought a large canoe alongside in the 
evening, containing about a whale-boat load, which 
was what he contracted to furnish. After we got it 
on board, the captain refused to pay the sum agreed 
upon. Rajapoot argued that he had fulfilled his con- 
tract, and was entitled to be honestly paid for his 
wood ; but if the captain wished he would take it 
back again, he would do so. The captain would 
neither give it up, nor pay for it. Rajapoot went off 
in high dudgeon, swearing he would raise men enough 
ashore to take the vessel. As soon as he was gone, 
we were set to work clearing away the casks in the 
blubber-room, and stowing away the wood under 
hatches, it being the design to pay all dues " with the 
fore-top-sail." We were ordered to go to work very 
silently, in order that we might not alarm the natives 
by any symptoms of preparation to put to sea. That 



"raising the wind." 263 

they might suspect nothing unusual, I was told to go 
out on the jib-boom and " blaze away" on my flute. 
I thought it rather a hard case to be obliged to par- 
ticipate in cheating poor Rajapoot, light as the duty 
assigned to me was ; but this was not a matter of 
taste. The American portion of the crew all grum- 
bled at the meanness of this trickery ; and the mate 
said, " if he could raise three dollars, he'd pay for the 
wood himself, sooner than such an act of low, stealthy, 
contemptible meanness should be attributed to a ves- 
sel bearing the flag of the United States." We held 
a private consultation about raising a subscription to 
pay the bil; but, upon examining our effects, we 
were not able to scrape up even two dollars' worth 
of property; all our clothing consisting of a few 
miserable rags, for which we felt much indebted to 
the outfitter. 

It is treatment like this that renders the natives 
treacherous and hostile. There has been more done 
to destroy the friendly feelings of the inhabitants of 
islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans toward 
Americans, by the meanness and rascality of whaling 
captains, than all the missionaries and embassies 
from the United States can ever atone for. 

" Pay them with the fore-top-sail !" is a mode of 
cheating the natives as common in practice as in 
theory. Such examples will invariably be followed; 
for where the vices of civilized life are sown, there 
they will grow. 

Watches were kept all night on the bow, but no 



264 FRUITS OF INDULGING IN FRUITS. 

attack was made. Next morning a strong ebb tide 
was setting out. At daylight all hands were called 
to weigh anchor. The wind died away before we 
doubled the sand-spit, and the tide drifted us ashore. 
We got out two whale lines, attached to a small 
kedge anchor, with which we warped her off the bar. 
A violent rain storm came on during our exertions 
to get off, which drenched us thoroughly, and by 
main force blew us off the bar. After we had gained 
the middle of the bay, the starboard anchor was 
dropped, and, for the first time since we left New 
Bedford, all hands were called aft to " splice the 
main brace." 

We left Bembatooka Bay in the evening with a 
Hindoo passenger on board for Johanna. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Cruelty to a Portuguese Boy. — Make the Comoro Isles. — Visit 
from the Sheik's Secretary. — Johanna. — Bay of Henzooanee. — 
Description of the Town. — Hozain and his Certificates. — Jack 
America. — Adventure with the Sheik. — Description of Syed Mo- 
hammed. 

In the course of a few days several of the crew 
were laid up from indulging too freely in fruit and 
vegetables ashore ; and, owing to the number unable 
to do duty, we could lower but two boats after 
whales. 

" There she blows !" was snug out one morning ; 



captain's amiability. 265 

" a large school of whales !" The larboard and star- 
board boats were lowered. D , Tom, Charlie, 

and myself remained on board to work ship. Frank, 
a raw Portuguese lad from the Western Islands, was 
put at the helm, being very unwell, and unable to do 

active duty. Captain A was, as usual when 

any of the crew were sick, in a savage humor. 
Having no person upon whom he could so well vent 
his ferocity as upon Frank, he roared at him to per- 
form so many impossibilities with the wheel that the 
poor fellow became confused. The sea was very 
rough, and it was impossible to keep the head of the 
vessel to the wind. 

" Steady !" thundered the captain. 

" Can no keep her steady," said Frank. 

" Steady, blast you !" 

" She no stay steady !" 

The captain darted furiously upon him, and struck 
him a severe blow on the head. Pale and terrified, 
and totally ignorant of what he was punished for, 
the poor lad hung down his head to avoid the blows. 

" You dumb animal," shouted the captain, " didn't 
I tell you to put your wheel down 1 Answer me — 
answer me, I say ! None of your whining ! Til 
flog the senses into you, if you don't understand me ! 
That scuttle-butt knows more than you do ! You're 
worse, a devilish sight, than the old sow. Won't 
you speak — won't you V 

" No savey, sare," replied Frank, who, in reality, 
did not understand a dozen words of English. 

L L 



266 NEW MANNER OF TEACHING ENGLISH. 

" You no savey, heh ! Til make you savey, you 
blasted two-pence head ! Til whale English into 
you ! Til see that you understand me when I speak 
to you :" so saying, the captain grasped a rope, and 
with all his might struck the boy across the face five 
or six times. 

" Oh capitan, me no savey !'•' cried Frank, staggering 
back, stupefied and almost blind. " Oh Christ, you 
kill me ! What for you strike me ?" 

" I'll make you savey ! You've been long enough 
aboard to learn English. If you don't learn, it's your 
own fault. Til hammer it into you. Now you know 
what you're flogged for, don't you ? Answer me ! 
Speak, blast you ! Say something, you dumb beast ! 
Grunt, if you will be a hog ! grunt, I say !" 

Ignorant of what was said, and writhing with pain 
— for his face was swollen with blows — Frank only 
endeavored to suppress his cries of agony, as the cap- 
tain shook him by the hair, and repeated the blows 
with the rope. If ever there was the impersonation 
of a demon, the captain was one. His cheeks were 
pale with rage, and his mouth foaming. 

" Why don't you answer me ?" he yelled, in a voice 
husky with passion. " Have you no tongue I Are 
you speechless ? If you can't speak, I tell you to 
grant. Won't you do it 1 Grunt, you infernal 
blockhead ! Grunt, you stupid ass ! Bray, if you 
can't grunt. Bray, now, or I'll make a zebra of you ! 
I'll stripe your back !" 

Still Frank made no reply. 



captain's joke. 267 

"You shall make some sort of noise, I swear!" 
said the captain ; and, swinging back his arm, he 
struck Frank with all his strength several violent 
blows on the head and face with the rope's end. 
Antoine, a bo£t-steerer, who was standing in the 
waist, believing the boy was about to be murdered, 
ran up and interfered. This man, the captain well 
knew, had a violent temper when excited, and could 
stir up a mutiny among the Portuguese at any mo- 
ment. Fearing that such would be the result of his 
cruelty, he endeavored to turn it into a joke, by ex- 
claiming, 

" Antoine ! Frank all de same as scuttle-butt. He 
no got plenty sense all de same as hog. Hog can 
grunt ; Frank can no grunt !" 

No one laughed at his joke, however; and An- 
toine, disdaining to make a reply, merely addressed 
a few words in Portuguese to Frank, and walked 
forward to the forecastle. 

Soon after this the captain was attacked with the 
jungle fever, which prostrated him almost to the 
verge of the grave. Four or five of the crew were 
also in a very low state. I can not describe the hor- 
rors of our situation, without incurring the charge 
of exaggeration ; yet they were too real to need the 
aid of fiction. The Portuguese, conscious of supe- 
rior numbers, and driven to desperation by hard fare 
and bad treatment, became insolent and mutinous 
The very elements seemed to combine against us. 
Day after day we drifted about in strong currents, 



268 DISTINGUISHED VISITOR. 

and beset by gales and heavy rains. If ever there 
was a hell afloat, the Styx was one. Things were 
in this condition when we made the Comoro Isl- 
ands, on 

March 20th. — The Peak of Mayotta was visible 
distant twenty leagues. In the evening we made 
Mohilla, another of the Comoro Islands. 

March 24th. — Anchored in the Bay of Johanna. 
We found in port a British East Indiaman, and the 

whaler Bogota, of New Bedford, Captain F . 

The Bogota had been out ten months, and had not 
heard from home since she left. 

March 26th. — At an early hour this morning we 
were visited by the secretary and suite of his high- 
ness the sheik of Johanna. Housein, the secretary, 
gave us to understand that it was customary for ves- 
sels, before coming to an anchor, to present Syed 
Mohammed, the sheik, with two kegs of powder, and 
as many pieces of calico as the captain might feel 
disposed to part with. The sheik professedly re- 
ceives no port charges, but generally manages to ex- 
tort presents of this kind to the amount of eighty or 
a hundred dollars from every vessel anchoring in the 
Bay of Johanna for refreshments or commercial pur- 
poses. As he has unlimited control over the natives, 
and can make a monopoly of the sale of all their ar- 
ticles, this system of fraud is carried on entirely for 
his own emolument. 

The waist and larboard boats were sent ashore for 
fruit and vegetables. I belonged to the waist boat, 



EXCHEQUER EXHAUSTED. 269 

which was commanded by the second mate, a friend 
of mine, and had a fine opportunity of seeing the 
town of Johanna. We spent the day ashore, wait- 
ing for the natives to carry down the recruit. Ab- 
dilla's slaves were to bring us eight or ten baskets 
of potatoes and fruit, which our friend, the Hindoo, 
had promised us for his passage from Majunga. I 
had nothing with me but a few plugs of tobacco, 
with which to purchase curiosities. Bembatooka 
Bay had left me pretty low in regard to my worldly 
affairs. I had bartered away all my trifles there ; 
and, unless I pawned or sold my clothes, I couldn't 
make " a raise." We were all in debt : and money 
is too scarce on board a whaler to be loaned to a 
beggarly crew. 

The boat-landing at Johanna is rocky, and conse- 
quently very dangerous in rough weather. Artificial 
coves, constructed of rocks, protect the boats from 
the general swell of the sea, but form rather an indif- 
ferent barrier at high tide; or during the gales on the 
changes of the monsoons. Near the shore is a bed 
of white coral, extending a considerable distance into 
the bay. The sea is so clear over this bed of coral 
that bottom can be seen at a depth of ten or twelve 
fathoms. One can almost fancy himself floating in 
the air over magnificent hills and valleys of coral, so 
remarkably transparent is the water. It gives some 
idea of the enchanted worlds in the Arabian Nights. 
Thousands of fish, of rich and varied colors, sported 
beneath us; and in many places our eyes were 
charmed with beautiful shells of different species. 



270 TOWN OF JOHANNA. 

We had a steady pull of about three leagues be- 
fore we made the landing. The abruptness of the 
shore and the height of the mountains render the 
distance very deceptive. The cocoa-nut trees and 
orange groves were distinctly visible from the ship, 
and we naturally concluded she was not more than 
four or five miles ofT; but, after a pull of two hours, 
under a scorching sun, we all agreed it was fully 
three leagues. 

The town of Johanna, called by the natives Hen- 
zooanee, stands on an inclined plane at the foot of a 
mountain. From the bay nothing is seen but a pile 
of roofs, commencing apparently at the water's edge, 
and, rising gradually, it reaches the base of the 
mountain. Upon a nearer approach, a barrier of rude 
stone walls is perceptible. This incloses the whole 
front of the town, and forms a sort of semicircle, the 
ends of which are blocked up against an immense 
pile of rocks. Entering by a dilapidated gateway, 
we struck into a by-alley ; but, following it up, we 
found that it was intersected by numerous alleys of 
the same description, and, in fact, found it impossi- 
ble to get out of it without entering other alleys 
still narrower and more filthy. I inquired of a na- 
tive the way into the town, and was told that we 
were just in the middle of it. The streets, if such 
they may be called, are nearly all alike, none of 
them being over five or six feet wide. Most of the 
•houses are built of stone ; and, owing to the narrow- 
ness of the streets, a continual draught of air passing 



CRAVING FOR TOBACCO. 271 

between them renders the whole town cool even in 
that tropical climate. 

We were stopped by every passer-by craving a 
piece of tobacco. What we had about us we gave 
away, but this did not prevent the natives from per- 
secuting us. Some feigned a toothache ; others, a 
pain in the jaw. We offered them medical advice ; 
such, at least, as we were capable of giving ; but to- 
bacco is the only remedy they profess to know any 
thing about. 

The principal object that attracts the attention of 
a stranger in Johanna is the fort, which is situated 
on the top of a high rock back of the town. The 
ascent is made by rough stone steps, now in a ruin- 
ous condition. I was told that the British East In- 
dia Company took possession of this fort, and made 
use of it, during the days of their commercial pros- 
perity, to protect their shipping in the Bay of Johan- 
na. It commands every point of the bay, and is dif- 
ficult of access to an enemy. 

Having nothing better to do, I ascended the steps 
leading to the gates of the fort, where, for a trifling 
consideration, I hired a guide to show me the forti- 
fications. Around the fort is a wall, which incloses 
a little village of bamboo huts, containing, at a rough 
guess, about a hundred inhabitants. Both the vil- 
lage and fort are crumbling to ruin. The guns are 
lying scattered about the place, rusty, and unfit for 
use. Immense masses of abutments hang gaping 
over the town. A volcanic eruption in the neigh- 



272 HOUSE OF REFRESHMENT. 

boring mountains would evidently precipitate them 
on the houses. In various places the walls are mere 
piles of ruins, covered with grass and moss. Com- 
manding, as it does, a view of the whole town and 
bay, the fort of Johanna forms quite a picturesque 
ruin, and a few hours may be very pleasantly spent 
in rambling about the premises. 

On my way back through the town I met a light- 
complexioned lad, who spoke to me in English, and 
invited me to his house. He said he was the son 
of an Arab, and that his name was Hozain. He 
made a living by trading, and furnishing the officers 
and crews of vessels with dinners. I found his house 
a clean and cool retreat, after having spent two or 
three hours under a burning sun. A cloth was spread 
before me by some slaves, and plates were brought 
in containing oranges, bananas, poppies, &c. ; and a 
Chinese bowl was set before me full of the most de- 
licious lemonade I ever drank. 

While I was paying my addresses to the refresh- 
ments, Hozain brought me a pocket-book containing 
certificates and recommendations from masters and 
crews of vessels who had favored him with their cus- 
tom. All the natives who transact business with the 
shipping have papers of this kind. The following 
will serve as specimens : 

" This is to certify that Hozain, a native of Johan- 
na, is an intelligent and accommodating lad. I have, 
on various occasions, hired him to transact business 
for me, and have always found him industrious and 



LITERATURE AT SEA. 273 

honest. I recommend any of my countrymen who 
visit Johanna to call at his house, if they wish a 
good dinner on reasonable terms. 

" , Captain 



of Barque 

-, 1842." 



The next is rather an amusing specimen, and may 
be preserved as a literary curiosity : 

" We the undersined do hereby sertify that jack 
America is a good washewoman and a fus rate help 
aboard ship we got him to wash for us while at an- 
cor hear which was 2 weaks more or less and can 
say to all Americans that he is an honest feller hav- 
ing stole but 2 shirts from us the hole time which is 
sayen a grate dele as the nagers will all steal whin 
they git a chanse jack does all kinds of jobs on reas- 
onable terms for tobacco or old close which is some- 
times very convenient for saillers. 

" Signed, , 



" Foremast hans." 

At the earnest request of Hozain, I gave him an 
additional recommendation. He refused payment 
for the refreshments (I had nothing to give him if 
he had asked payment). Few of the natives will 
take any thing for fruit or lemonade, when they in- 
vite a stranger into their houses. They will accept 
any quantity of tobacco, but in a case of this kind it 
must be given to them as a present. 

M M 



274 JOHANNA LADIES. 

I met my friend D soon after leaving Ho- 

zain's. Determined to see what the Johanna ladies 
were made of, we set out on a cruise, having been 
ashore the best part of the day without catching a 
glimpse of the dusky beauties of the town. The 
Mohammedans of Johanna strictly adhere to the old 
rule of keeping the women under lock and key 
when strangers are about, especially sailors, whose 
proverbial gallantry to the sex they look upon as 
dangerous. 

We received several invitations to walk into the 
houses, but the women were always warned of our 
approach by the shrill "Hoad! hoadl hoadT of the 
master. We frequently asked why this extreme 
jealousy existed, and the invariable answer was, 
"'Tis de fashon in Johanna !" 

" What are you afraid of?" I asked an old Arab. 

He shook his head, and, shrugging his shoulders, 
replied, "'Tis de fashon. Mohammed do so. No good 
for Christian to look at Mohammedan's women." 

" No," said I. " Your women are ugly. You're 
ashamed to let us see them. Our American ladies 
are much better looking, no doubt. We have the 
prettiest ladies in the world. No wonder you're 
ashamed to let us see your women." 

This made him very angry, and he began a fiery 
harangue in broken English : 

" What for de devil you want to see our women 1 
'Tis no de fashon here. Johanna man no like dis. 
Mohammed find it out, what he say den ?" 



JOHANNA LADIES. 275 

" I presume he'd say you are becoming more civ- 
ilized." 

" Got damn ! de devil you, sir ! We great peo- 
ple ; we all de same as English. Syed Mohammed 
all de same as King George. Suppose I go to your 
country, I no talk so. I no want to see your d — d 
women ! If it de fashon of de country, very good ; 
I like to see, very well. If it no de fashon, what for 
I want to see your women V 

A sailor let loose from a ship is no better than a 
wild man. He is free ; he feels what it is to be free. 
For a little while, at least, he is no dog to be cursed 
and ordered about by a ruffianly master. It is like 

an escape from bondage. D and I felt what it 

was to be at liberty, and our exuberance of spirits 
was beyond all bounds. 

The first adventure we had came near getting us 
into a difficulty. Passing a house, we saw, peeping 
from behind the door, three or four females, with 
bright, laughing eyes. Before they could guess our 
intention, we burst in upon them. Such a scene of 
confusion as we made baffles description. Shrieking 
and laughing, they attempted to make their escape 
through a back passage, but we were too fast for 

them. J) closed upon them on one side, and I 

on the other, so that, by a well-managed manceuver, 
we soon caught a good armful of these wild damsels. 
Five or six of the natives, hearing the noise, came 
running up, abusing us, and using all kinds of violent 
and threatening gestures. It was a thing that had 



276 GALLANTRY AND TROUBLE. 

never been done before. They raved, swore, flour- 
ished their spears, and finally, after cooling down a 
little, threatened to tell the sheik. A fierce-looking 
fellow with mustaches seemed in favor of Lynching 
us after the fashion of the Arabs, which is simply a 
dexterous thrust of the khunger. We took advan- 
tage of a pause in the row, and, to use an expressive 
phrase, made ourselves scarce. 

A little before sundown we reached the boat-land- 
ing, where we found Housein, the sheik's secretary, 
Seidi Rahma, Ahamet Baas, and other distinguished 
characters. Abdilla and his slaves had brought down 
the fruit and potatoes. Every thing being ready, we 
pushed off for the barque, which we reached after a 
hard pull of three hours. 

Captain A was so much worse during the 

night that it was deemed advisable to run in and an- 
chor. We got up the larboard and starboard chains 
by noon. At two o'clock P.M. we dropped anchor 
a little above the town, and went on board the British 
East Indiaman for the doctors. 

Canoes, laden with shells, bananas, cocoa-nuts, 
popois, melons, guaras, &c, crowded round the ship 
in great numbers during the evening. The natives, 
when the sheik does not prohibit trading, sell fruit 
very cheap. A large bunch of bananas may be pur- 
chased for a plug of tobacco, a hundred cocoa-nuts 
for half a pound, and other tropical fruits at the same 
rate. 

Among the products of the island are rice, maize, 



NATIVE PRODUCTIONS. 277 

cassada, mangoes, pine-apples, chalottes, pumpkins, 
sweet potatoes, limes, lemons, and such fruit as I 
have already mentioned. Bullocks of a small breed, 
goats, sheep, poultry, and pigeons are plenty in Jo- 
hanna, and may be had of the natives at reasonable 
prices. Besides the various products of the island, 
the natives enjoy other luxuries. They carry on a 
considerable trade in dans and chelingas with Bom- 
bay, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Delagoa 
Bay, and other places in the Indian Ocean. Ameri- 
can and English whalers find Johanna a very con- 
venient stopping-place after a long cruise. Its fer- 
tility is not so great as that of Zanzibar; but the 
climate is better, and ships' crews are less subject to 
fevers than at Zanzibar. 

The natives have some knowledge of the arts, and 
even profess the sciences. Silver-smiths, tailors, 
painters, chirographers, and astrologers are numerous. 
The men are too indolent to attain any high degree 
of proficiency in these or other pursuits, and, conse- 
quently, the chief part of the labor devolves upon the 
females, who do all the drudgery, manufacture cloths, 
mats, baskets, &c. The lower classes of women are 
considered no better than beasts of burden. They 
appear to be quite indifferent about their degraded 
condition. 

We had liberty ashore every day while we lay at 
anchor. I saw a great deal to interest me ; also, a 
great deal to disgust me. 

The strictness with which the Mohammedans ad- 



278 the sheik's mosque. 

here to the codes of their church would do honor to 
more civilized people. Still there are customs prev- 
alent among them which, to Christians, seem open 
violations of every law, moral and divine. The steps 
of their mosques are places of public resort, where 
the citizens assemble every evening to gamble. 
Groups of incorrigible gamesters may be seen amus- 
ing themselves in this way while the devout leader 
of the flock is reading the Koran to the congregation 
within. Even the venerable priest occasionally re- 
laxes his mind by taking part in the games. To gain 
admittance into the mosque, application must be 
made to him. If the visitor chooses to paj' two shil- 
lings for the benefit of the Prophet, or a few plugs 
of tobacco to cure an incurable toothache with which 
the Prophet's servant is afflicted, he can go in ; but, 
if he is not disposed to be charitable, he can sit down 
on the steps at the mosque door, and entertain him- 
self at cards or checkers while listening to the read- 
ing of the Koran ! 

Mr. P and I visited one evening the sheik's 

mosque, a conspicuous edifice, which may be known 
by its steeple. We had nothing to give the priest 
but an old jack-knife, which he condescended to ac- 
cept after a good deal of grumbling. Abda Selim, a 
lad whom we had hired as a guide and interpreter, 
informed us that we could not go in without first 
having our feet washed. We assured him that, as 
we had just enjoyed the pleasure of a ducking down 
at the boat-landing, we were unexceptionably clean. 



HOLY CARPET. 279 

This would not do ; our feet must be washed. A 
speck of dirt would defile the carpet, and eternally 
damn the mosque. Furthermore, our mouths were 
scrupulously examined, lest tobacco or any other foul 
and nauseous weed, unsightly in the eyes of the 
Prophet, might be therein concealed from the vigi- 
lance of sublunary mortals. These preparatory cere- 
monies being over, Selim told us to enter, cautioning 
us, with great solemnity, not to spit upon the car- 
pets or speak above a whisper, if we would avoid the 
wrath of the Prophet. The floor of the sheik's 
mosque is covered with mats of rich and beautiful 
colors, and on these the congregation kneel. * Around 
the altar, or that part of the mosque where the priest 
stands when reading the Koran, the floor is covered 
with splendid Persian rugs of the richest texture and 
color. On the walls, at each side of the altar, are 
curiously-designed maps or charts, which, from all I 
could gather from Selim, show the latitude and longi- 
tude of the seven heavens, the true bearings of the 
infernal regions, the rocks, shoals, and sand-bars to 
be avoided by a soul bound heavenward ; all orna- 
mented with pious mottoes from the Koran, to be 
perused by departing sinners. The building itself is 
very plain within, and not more than sixty feet by 
forty in size. Externally there are some rude at- 
tempts made at architectural ornament. There is 
a clumsiness and want of system in the buildings of 
the Arabs which all their filigree-work can not dis- 
guise. 



280 SYED MOHAMMED. 

It was now sundown. Having spent an hour very 
agreeably in the mosque, we took our leave of the 
priest ; and, accompanied by our guide Selim, once 
more made our way through the labyrinth of narrow 
streets to the boat-landing. 

One fine afternoon, while rambling about the town, 
I met a native named Jezzarine, with whom I had 
formed a slight acquaintance. At his request, I fol- 
lowed him to a certain part of the town, where, he 
informed me, I would see " much fine thing." We 
stopped at the door of a large whitewashed house, 
highly ornamented with Arabian filigree-work. Un- 
der a piazza was seated a remarkably handsome 
young Arab, surrounded by a group of richly-dressed 
retainers, who seemed to regard him with unusual 
deference. From his general appearance, I took him 
to be some distinguished chieftain. His costume 
was exceedingly striking and graceful. The upper 
part of his dress consisted of a kind of spencer of 
rich green cloth, beautifully decorated with gold and 
silver ornaments ; a gaudy silk vest, fringed with tas- 
sel-work; and a loose white robe, thrown gracefully 
over the left shoulder. His sash was of the most 
delicate Persian silk; and his khunger, or dagger, was 
highly ornamented with jewels. The remainder of 
his dress consisted of loose white pantaloons, ex- 
quisitely embroidered, and a pair of sandals, in which 
were worked symbols and devices from the Koran. 
His turban was singularly rich and becoming. In 
complexion he was lighter than the common order 



MUSIC AND GREATNESS. 28] 

of Arabs; perhaps owing to less exposure. I think 
I never saw a more perfect face. His forehead was 
high and expansive, his nose a true Grecian, his eyes 
brilliant as diamonds, and his mouth and chin ex- 
quisitely chiseled. I saluted him with my most po- 
lite bow, which he returned by a slight inclination of 
the head, and a smile of welcome. Jezzarine, who 
stood behind me, pinched my elbow, and w T hispered 
in my ear, "Takee off hat!" I did as he desired, 
and patiently awaited farther orders. 

The chief, after carefully examining me, to ascer- 
tain if I had any tobacco, put his hand in my pocket 
and drew out my flute, which I joined together. He 
attempted to play upon it, but was unable to pro- 
duce a sound. Nettled at his failure, he handed it 
to me rather impatiently, and by a motion expressed 
his desire to hear me play. I did so, and had the 
good fortune to throw him into a very good humor. 
He enjoyed the music as well as I could wish ; and, 
when I had done playing, expressed his satisfaction 
by clapping his hands three times. I thought this 
was intended for applause ; but I soon discovered 
that the applause was of a more substantial nature. 
A slave quickly made his appearance. The chief 
spoke a few words to him, and he went back into 
the house. Presently he returned, bearing in his 
hands a round table with pewter plates upon it, con- 
taining oranges, bananas, dates, mangoes, and other 
tropical delicacies ; also glasses containing sherbet 
and lemonade. I ate and drank heartily of what 

N N 



282 HORRIFIED GUIDE. 

was set before me ; but the Arabs would not join me. 
However, I cared little about that ; the refreshments 
tasted quite as well as if they had assisted me. I 
played several more tunes before I left; laughed, 
talked, and danced for the amusement of the chief, 
and, altogether, made myself quite at home. On 
parting, I shook hands with the crowd all round. 
Jezzarine pinched me several times when he thought 
I was going ahead rather too unceremoniously ; but 
I paid no attention to his hints. After we had turned 
a corner, and were entirely out of the hearing of the 
chief and his followers, Jezzarine stopped, and, with 
horror and consternation depicted in his looks, whis- 
pered, 

" You savey who dat V 

" No," said I ; " who is it V 

" What !" he exclaimed, in utter amazement, " you 
no savey who you play for V 

" No ; I never saw him before." 

" Oh, you do bad ting; you play, you dance, you - 
laugh all de same he me ! He bery mad. Suppose 
ship no here, he kill you !" 

" But who is he V 

" Who 1 What for you no savey his highness 
Syed Mohammed, grand big sultan 1" 

Finding this neither alarmed nor astonished me as 
he expected, Jezzarine, disgusted at my stolidity, 
started to leave me, expecting, of course, that, being 
in the densely-populated part of the town, I would 
be compelled to call him back to guide me out. Af- 



EVENING RAMBLE. 283 

ter following me for two or three squares, dodging 
from corner to corner to avoid letting me see him, 
he thought proper at length to overtake me. 

" Well, I no leave you," said he ; "I good friend 
to you. All de same you brother. Me bad tooth- 
ache ! oh ! me bery bad toothache ! Tobac little 
bit ? Hein I" 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Mohammedan at Prayer. — Beautiful Glen. — ■Upset in a Canoe. — 
Bull Fight. — Terrible Combat between the Down-Easter and the 
Bull. — Leave Johanna. — Exciting Whale Chase, and Capture of a 
Whale. — Trouble and Discontent. — Make Zanzibar. — Desertion 
of three Men. — Speech of the Captain. — Condition of the Crew. 

In the course of my rambles next day about Hen- 
zooanee, the town of Johanna, I fell in with a native 
of Mauritius, who spoke good French. A slight 
knowledge of this language enabled me to carry on 
a conversation with him. I found him very intelli- 
gent and obliging ; and I was much indebted to him 
for his hospitality. 

The evening being fine, he asked me to take a 
walk with him up the Motoni, a beautiful little rivu- 
let, which runs through the upper part of the town. 
I gladly accepted his services as a cicerone. We 
followed the course of the stream for about a mile, 
where it comes foaming down between the mount- 



284 BEAUTIFUL GLEN. 

ains, forming a succession of picturesque cascades. 
The banks on our way were covered with rich green 
foliage and a small growth of trees, under the shade 
of which is a pathway. The sides of the mountains 
are interspersed with groves of cocoa-nut and orange 
trees, laden with fruit. Above them, reaching two 
thirds of the way to the peaks, are pastures of short 
grass, upon which the cattle feed. The luxuriance 
of the vegetation gives the mountains a rich and 
beautiful appearance. Nothing can be more gor- 
geous than their verdure during the summer months. 
When the fleecy clouds which generally envelop 
the peaks are blown away by a stiff breeze, immense 
masses of burned clay and lava are exposed to the 
eye. The whole scene taken at a glance is at once 
bold, rugged, rich, and gorgeous. Thousands of 
canoes are seen paddling about the bay ; and here 
and there a large dan, with its picturesque sail, 
sweeps across with a life-like grace of motion. In- 
describably delightful to a sea-farer, who, for many 
long months, sees nothing but the broad ocean, is an 
hour's enjoyment in the glens of Johanna, where he 
is surrounded by all that is soothing and refreshing : 

" The warbling woodland, the resounding shore, 
The pomp of groves, the garniture of fields ; 
All that the genial ray of morning gilds, 
And all that echoes to the song of even." 

We were pushing our way through the brush- 
wood, when my guide, who took the lead, beckoned 
me to stop, at the same time pointing up the ravine. 



MOHAMMEDAN AT PRAYER. 285 

Following the direction of his finger, I perceived an 
aged Mohammedan at prayer. The ceremonies 
through which this devout follower of the Prophet 
went had something singularly solemn and striking 
in them. 

He stood upon a rock surrounded by the rippling 
current, his head bowed down in earnest devotion. 
For upward of five minutes he maintained the same 
position, motionless as a statue. He then raised up 
his head, and gazed for a few moments in the heav- 
ens, when he took a string of beads, and, laying them 
at his feet, bowed down to them, and kissed them 
with an expression of sincere humility. This cere- 
mony he performed three times in succession. Cross- 
ing his hands on his breast, he then hung down his 
head, and continued in that attitude for several 
minutes, motionless as the rock upon which he 
stood. I was struck with the deep humility and de- 
votion with which he offered up his prayers. Though 
in my mind the victim of a religious delusion, the 
true spirit of adoration dwelt within him. His was 
no ostentatious display of piety. He stood alone, 
unconscious of the presence of a human being. Sur- 
rounded by grand and imposing scenery, in the deep 
solitude, 

" Where heavenly contemplation dwells," 

he offered up to his God and his Prophet the genu- 
ine devotion of a true heart. Certainly there never 
was a spot more suitable for worship. Secluded 
from the busy haunts of man, the solitude of the 



286 DEVILS IN THE GLEN. 

glen, and the beauties of the scenery, were well cal- 
culated to inspire religious thoughts and feelings. 

In about an hour numbers of Mohammedans came 
down from the town to perform their ablutions in the 
stream. My new acquaintance told me, in French, 
that great alarm had been excited among the natives 
on the previous evening, by the appearance of a le- 
gion of devils in this little glen. I smiled at the idea 
of such characters making their appearance in pub- 
lic ; but he solemnly assured me it was a fact, as he 
had seen them himself. 

The boats were ashore constantly while we lay at 
Johanna, and I had many opportunities of seeing the 
town. 

I must not forget to mention a little adventure we 
had previous to our visit to the mosque. Our barque 
being a considerable distance off shore, we were in- 
vited to dine aboard the Bogota. Those who were 
down at the landing in time took off the boats, so 

that D , Bill, Charley, and myself were obliged 

to hire a canoe from one of the natives. The only 
one we could procure was in a very unsafe condi- 
tion. It was rather a frail craft for four of us, be- 
sides the owner, to make the attempt in ; but the 
greater the danger, the better the sport. D , al- 
though he could not swim, was determined not to be 
left behind. Having stowed away all our shells and 
oranges in the bottom, we shoved off The canoe, 
unfortunately, had but one out-rigger, and it had 
been baking so long in the sun that the cracks lay 



♦ ■ 
UPSET IN A ROTTEN CANOE. 287 

gaping under us ; and the water poured in much 
faster than we could bale it out. We expected, how- 
ever, to reach the ship before she filled. As we 
were pulling and bailing with all our might, a tre- 
mendous sea struck us broadside and pitched us all 
over, the canoe uppermost. I took care, the moment 
we were upset, to climb up astride of the canoe. I 
could not contain mj risibles, when I looked around 

me, and saw D clinging to the out-rigger, while 

he spluttered and blew the salt water up like a por- 
poise. Bill and Charley swam for shore. The old 
Arab, who did not at all relish the ducking, and the 
loss of a few plugs of tobacco which we had given to 
him, commenced cursing us with angry vociferations 
for upseting his canoe ; and, to complete the fun, the 
little urchins ashore yelled and danced with delight. 
We lost no time in running the canoe ashore. If we 
had lost a fortune each, instead of our shells, we 
would not have laughed less heartily at the catas- 
trophe. To make amends for lost time, we hurried 
back to the boat-landing, and there hired a larger 
and safer canoe, in which we went aboard the Bo- 
gota without farther accident. The brig's crew and 
our own shipmates were all done dinner. However, 
we made a hearty meal of what was left, and joined 
in the general laugh which our account of the upset 
occasioned. 

I was present one evening at a favorite entertain- 
ment of the natives, which they frequently have for 
the amusement of crews ashore on liberty. The in- 



28S BULL-FIGHT. 

habitants of the interior of the island all crowded 
down to the town to witness a grand bull-fight. The 
bull had just been brought down from the mountains, 
where the cattle are suffered to run wild. He was 
of a small, but active and fiery breed, with a hump 
on the shoulders, similar to the Madagascar cattle. 
The arena into which he was led was a large square 
back of a ruinous old fort, and was surrounded by 
high walls, with steps built of stone in different 
places, for the spectators to sit upon. A large con- 
course of people had already assembled, and were 
eagerly awaiting the commencement of the fight. I 
got up on the steps of the fort, where I found some 
of our crew, and several of the Bogota's. The en- 
trance into the arena was directly under our feet. 
We were just at an agreeable distance from the 
scene of action. Suddenly there was a universal 
shout, and those who were in the way ran toward 
the gates as fast as possible to make their escape. 
A moment more, and the trampling of the bull's hoofs 
was heard. The champions sprang down from their 
seats, and stood ready to receive him. Foaming 
and panting, he rushed in, his eyes flashing, his flanks 
reeking with sweat, and his nostrils distended. I ex- 
pected to see a sanguinary strife, but was disappoint- 
ed. The fight was entirely on the defensive. The 
bull rushed upon his foes with great fury, upon which 
the one attacked jumped nimbly aside, and flung out 
a red scarf. Thus every attack was ended. By 
means of a rope fastened to his horns, the bull was 



" down-easter" courage. 289 

hauled back by fifty or a hundred of the natives, and 
a second and third onset followed. I began to think 
this way of fighting a bull rather a dull business, 
when an incident occurred that gave rise to a good 
deal of fun. 

Our " down-easter," M'F , had stationed him- 

self on an abutment in the arena, with three or four 
steps leading up to the top, where he could have a 
good view of the entertainment, and, at the same 
time, enjoy a comfortable degree of personal security. 
He seemed highly edified with the sport, and oc- 
casionally gave vent to his satisfaction by shouts of 
laughter and cries of " Well done, old critter ! Look 
out, you darned niggers, or you'll get stuck ! My 
gosh ! ain't he savage now !" Mack wore a red 
shirt, which now and then attracted the attention of 
the worried animal. The natives having wrought it 
to a state of madness, began to show signs of fear, 
and made their escape through a small aperture in 
the wall. Mack rolled up his sleeves, and let his 
courage boil over in the most warlike strain. Squar- 
ing himself in a pugilistic attitude, he shouted at the 
top of his voice, " Come on, if you want a lickin' ! 
I'll give you a Yankee touch, old feller ! I'll orna- 
ment your ugly picter with a pair of black eyes ! 
Come on, sir ! come on !" 

The infuriated bull, not at all relishing the insults 
of the man with the red shirt, turned short round, 
and made for the steps. 

" Come on !" roared Mack ; " come up here, you 
O o 



290 YANKEE PUGILISM IN A BULL-FIGHT. 

blamed ugly-looking critter ! Durn your orful visage, 
I'll show you a thing or two ! I'll spoil your nose 
for you ! I'll do you bodily damage !" 

Snorting and pawing the ground with rage, the 
bull bellowed and shook his horns, but seemed rather 
dubious about attacking a live Yankee. Mack ca- 
pered about like a madman, and made sundry scien- 
tific passes within a few feet of the animal's head, to 
the great amusement of the natives, who cheered and 
roared with laughter. 

" Why don't you lay into me ?'• said Mack, kick- 
ing at him. " Don't you savey my lingo, you bloody 
AarahT 

At this there was such an uproar that the bull, 
driven to desperation, rushed madly up the steps, bel- 
lowing frightfully. 

" Don't you come so nigh !" roared Mack, retreat- 
ing a little, and stretching forth his long, bony arms 
and clinched fists. " Don't you come here, I say : 
don't you ! don't you !" 

The last words were scarcely out of his mouth, 
when the furious animal had mounted the abutment. 
Fearing that the battle might not be fairly conducted 
in so dangerous a situation, Mack suddenly turned to 
run, and, yelling at the top of his voice, " Hold on, 
darn you ! Don't you come here ! don't you /" he at- 
tempted to escape. The bull assisted his progress, 
by picking him up by the nether extremities and 
pitching him headlong over into the arena. 

" Oh gosh ! oh gosh !" groaned Mack, flounder- 



"takin' a horn." 291 

ing about on the ground like a gigged dolphin, and 
endeavoring to get away before another such onset; 
" oh jeminy gosh ! I'm spoilt ! I'm dead as a 
whistle !" 

Some of the natives rushed in at this critical junc- 
ture, and rescued him from the farther violence of his 
rough adversary. 

We were all enjoying a hearty laugh at Mack's 
expense, when he came limping up to where we 
stood, rubbing his bones, and looking rather used up 
after his encounter. Unable to resist our cachinna- 
tions, he joined in the laugh, and asked us what was 
the fun. 

" Why," said some of the crew, " ain't you dead 
yet?" 

" Dead, gentlemen !" cried Mack ; " not yet I ain't. 
I've only been takin' a horn. Dead, indeed ! Why, 
ain't I the man ' wot fit the bull V Ain't I the man 
' wot pushed the bull off the bridge V " 

Mack's wit was irresistible. We suffered nearly 
as much from laughter as he did from his encounter. 
For many weeks after this adventure, he was called 
" the man wot pushed the bull off the bridge." , 

About the fifth of April we weighed anchor, and set 
sail from Johanna on another cruise. 

April 8th, 1843. — We were running down for the 
Aldabra Islands with a fine, steady breeze. The 
morning was bright and clear, and the water of 
that peculiar color which whalemen regard as the 
favorite resort for whales. I had forenoon watch 



292 ALDABRA ISLANDS. WHALES IN SIGHT. 

below, and was just congratulating myself upon get- 
ting through with my " double altitudes," when the 
loud, clear voice of a man at the mast-head came 
ringing down the forecastle. 

" There she blows !" was the thrilling cry. 



"^^"^T 



1. Whales seen. 




2. Whales captured. 



" That's once !" shouted the captain. 

" There she blows !" 

" That's twice, by jingo !" 

" There she blows!" 

" Three times ! Where away, Tabor V 

" Off the weather bow, sir, two points." 

"How far?" 

" A mile and a half. There she blows !" 

" Sperm whale ! Call all hands !" 

There was a rush on deck, each man trying to 
get to the scuttle first. Then came half a dozen 
loud knocks, and a hoarse voice, shouting, 

" Larboard watch ahoy ! Turn out, my lads ! 
Sperm whale in sight ! Heave out ! heave out ! 
Lash and carry ! Rise and chime ! Bear a hand, 
my lively hearties !" 

Those who were "turned in" rolled out as soon 
as possible, and buckled on their ducks, and in less 
than two minutes we were all on deck, ready for or- 



"there she blows!" 293 

ders. The tubs were put in the boats, and the main 
yard hauled aback. We all now perched ourselves 
in the rigging, and kept a sharp look-out on every 
side for the whale's next rising. Twenty minutes 
elapsed since the spout was first seen ; twenty-five 
passed, and the captain began to get into a state of 
nervous anxiety. We strained our eyes in all direc- 
tions to " make a spout." Half an hour flew by, and 
no spout was seen. It began to look like a hopeless 
case, when Tabor, whose visual organs appeared to 
have the power of ubiquity, sang out, 

" There she blows ! there she blows !" 

" Where now ?" roared the captain. 

" Off the weather quarter ! Two large sperm 
whales, sir. Go it, boots !" 

" Clear away the boats ! Come down from the 
mast-head, all you that don't belong there ! Bear a 
hand ! we'll take them this rising !" shouted the cap- 
tain, in a fierce, sharp voice. 

" All ready, sir." 

"Lower away, then !" 

The waist and larboard boats were instantly down, 

ready to "bend on." Captain A and some of 

his boat's crew being too ill to man the other boat, 
we struck off for the whales without them. I pulled 
the aft oar, as usual; and as, by this time, I was as 
tough and muscular as my comrades, the boat dan- 
ced along the water in fine style. Although the lar- 
board boat was much easier pulled, and had the old- 
est and stoutest of the whole crew, we contrived, by 



294 THE CHASE. 

unusual exertions, to keep ahead of her, till the real 
" tug of war" came. Then was our mettle put to 
the test ! One of the whales was leisurely making 
to windward not more than half a mile off. 

" Lay back, my lads !" cried P , pale with ex- 
citement. " Keep the larboard boat astern ! Never 
say die ! That's our whale ! Oh, do spring — do 
spring ! No noise ! steady and soft's the word." 

We replied to this appeal by " piling up the ago- 
ny" on the oars. Away sprang our boat, trembling 
and quivering as she darted through the waves. She 
really seemed to imbibe the general excitement as 
she parted the clear blue water, and dashed it foam- 
ing from her bows. Onward we flew! The lar- 
board boat was hard upon our stern ; the whale roll- 
ing lazily in the trough of the sea, a few darts ahead. 

" Oh, lay back ! lay back !" whispered P , 

trembling with eagerness not to be outdone by the 
mate. " Do spring, my boys, if you love gin ! Now's 
your time ! now or never ! Oh, see him ! see him ! 
how quiet he lies ! Put the beef on your oars, ev- 
ery mother's son of you ! Pile it on ! pile it on ! 
That's the way to tell it ! Our whale this time !" 

The moment of intense excitement now arrived. 
We pulled as if for life or death. Not a word was 
spoken, and scarcely a sound was heard from our 
oars. 

" Stand up, Tabor !" cried P , in a low voice. 

Peaking his oar, Tabor sprang to his feet, and 
grasped a harpoon. 



SPORT UNDER "THE FLUKES." 295 

" Shall I give him two irons V 

" Yes ; he may be wild." 

Another stroke or two, and we were hard upon 
him. Tabor, with unerring aim, let fly his irons, 
and buried them to the sockets in the huge carcass 
of the whale. 

" Stern all !" thundered P . 

" Stern all !" echoed the crew ; but it was too late. 
Our bows were high and dry on the whale's head ! 
Infuriated with the pain produced by the harpoons, 
and doubtless much astonished to find his head so 
roughly used, he rolled half over, lashing the sea 
with his flukes, and in his struggles dashing in two 
of the upper planks. " Boat stove ! boat stove !" 
was the general cry. 

" Silence !" thundered the second mate, as he 
sprang to the bow, and exchanged places with Ta- 
bor. " All safe, my hearties ! Stern hard ! stern ! 
stern ! before he gets his flukes to bear upon us." 

" Stern all !" shouted we, and in a moment more 
we were out of danger. The whale now " turned 
flukes," and dashed off to windward with the speed 
of a locomotive, towing us after him at a glorious 
rate. We occasionally slacked line in order to give 
him a plenty of play. A stiff breeze had sprung up, 
causing a rough, chopping sea ; and we leaked bad- 
ly in the bow planks. It fell to my lot to keep the 
water bailed out and the line clear as the others 
hauled in : a ticklish job, the last ; for, as the second 
mate said, a single turn would whip off a shin " as 
slick as goose-grease." 



296 TOWED OFF IN STYLE. 

Notwithstanding the roughness of the sea, we 
shot ahead with incredible swiftness ; and the way 
we "walked" past the larboard boat, whose crew 
were tugging and laboring with all their might, was 
surprising. 

" Hoora for the waist boat !" burst from every 
lip. Three hearty cheers followed, much to the an- 
noyance of the other boat's crew and mate. We 
exultingly took off our hats and waved them a polite 
" good-by," requesting them, if they had any news 
to send to the windward ports, to be quick about it, 
as it was inconvenient for us to stop just then. I 
believe Solomon says it is not good to be vain-glo- 
rious. At all events, while we were skimming along 
so gallantly, the whale suddenly milled, and pitched 
the boat on her beam ends. Every one who could 
grasp a thwart hung on to it, and we were all for- 
tunate enough to keep our seats. For as much as a 
ship's length the boat flew through the water on her 
gunwale, foaming and whizzing as she dashed on- 
ward. It was a matter of doubt as to which side 
would turn uppermost, until Tabor slacked out the 
line, when she righted. To have a boat, with all 
her irons, lances, gear, and oars, piled on one's head 
in such a sea was rather a startling prospect to the 
best swimmer. 

Meantime the whale rose to the surface to spout. 
The change in his course had enabled the mate's 
boat to come up ; and w r e lay on our oars in order 
that Mr. D might lance him. He struck him in 



LEVIATHAN DEATH-STRUGGLES. 297 

the "life" the first dart, as was evident from the 
whale's furious dying struggles ; nevertheless, in or- 
der to make sure, we hauled up and churned a lance 
back of his head. 

I can not conceive any thing more strikingly aw- 
ful than the butchery of this tremendous leviathan 
of the deep. Foaming and breaching, he plunged 
from wave to wave, flinging high in the air torrents 
of blood and spray. The sea around was literally a 
sea of blood. At one moment his head was poised 
in the air ; the next, he buried himself in the gory 
sea, carrying down in his vast wake a whirlpool of 
foam and slime. But this respite was short. He 
rose again, rushing furiously upon his enemies ; but 
a slight prick of a lance drove him back with min- 
gled fury and terror. Whichever way he turned, 
the barbed irons goaded him to desperation. Now 
and again intensity of agony would cause him to 
lash the waters with his huge flukes, till the very 
ocean appeared to heave and tremble at his power. 
Tossing, struggling, dashing over and over in his 
agony, he spouted up the last of his heart's blood. 
Half an hour before he was free as the wave, sport- 
ing in all the pride of gigantic strength and unrival- 
ed power. He now lay a lifeless mass : his head 




298 CAPTAIN SICK. 

toward the sun, his tremendous body heaving to the 
swell, and his destroyers proudly cheering over their 
victory ! 

Shortly after we left Johanna, two of the foremast 
hands were chosen to stand watches below with 
the captain, whose illness increased every day. He 
was so ferocious and ill-natured, however, that no- 
body could stand it more than a day or two. He 
finally sent forward for me, and I was promoted doc- 
tor. My situation was. very unpleasant. On the 
one hand, I had to bear all the ill usage which the 
captain chose to inflict upon me, and, on the other, 
the crew, ever ready to growl, complained that a 
preference was shown to me in giving me the light- 
est duty — a duty which they had refused themselves. 
None of the officers would have any thing to do 
with the old man. The whole care of attending to 
him devolved upon me. I felt that to desert him 
when he was deserted by his own officers would be 
ungenerous ; and for many days and nights I stood 
by him, subjected incessantly to the most brutal and 
insulting language. 

One of the boat-steerers, a Portuguese, came 
down one day, and told him that the mate was in 
the habit of rope's-ending Frank, and that, if he 
did not put a stop to it, there would be a mutiny 
among the Portuguese. After supper, the officers 
were all called down, and the cabin cleared of listen- 
ers. There was a general row below, the result of 
which was, that I was called down as soon as the 



HE IS CROSS. PLEASANT GRATITUDE. 299 

trial was over, and accused of being the instigator of 
the mischief. 

" B , what have you been telling the officers ?" 

demanded the captain, in a savage voice. 

The question surprised me, for I had never told 
the officers any thing that had transpired in the 
cabin. I had enough to do to attend to my own 
difficulties, much less to meddle between the captain 
and officers. 

My reply was that I told them nothing. 

" You lie! You have been retailing all I said to 
you about them." 

" I have not," said I. 

" Don't tell me that — don't lie to me !" shouted 
the captain, impotent with rage, and with a face of 
ghastly paleness. 

" You are mistaken, sir ; and if you think I could 
be guilty of any thing so mean, the sooner I go back 
to the forecastle the better." 

" Weil, go ; I want no tell-tales about me." 

I thought this was a rather ungenerous return for 
all the care I had bestowed upon him ; and I answer- 
ed by reminding him that it was at his own solicita- 
tion I had come to attend him; that I had never 
courted his confidence, or encouraged any allusions 
to the officers ; and that, if he chose to forget himself 
so far as to make a confidant of a fore-mast hand, he 
need not be surprised if mischief should arise out of 
it, but that he ought to be sure of the fact first, be- 
fore he accused me of being the instigator of the 
mischief. 



300 PLEASANT GRATITUDE. 

I then went forward, heartily glad of my release 
from a duty so irksome. At two P.M. the captain 
sent for me. He had learned the true source of the 
disturbance during my absence from the cabin. 
The mate had overheard some of his remarks, and 
had told him of it, to remove the imputation from me. 
As I went below, I thought, of course, I was about to 
receive the amende honorable. 

" Well, B , are you going to desert me V said 

the old man, in a whining voice. 

" You drove me away yourself, sir." 

"Very well, go forward. My officers won't do 
any thing for me, and the crew have all deserted me. 
I can die, I guess. I don't want you to stay with 
me against your will." 

I could not but pity the poor wretch, little as he 
deserved it. 

" Sir, you have brought this on yourself. You ac- 
cuse me of things of which I am not guilty. I think, 
therefore, I had better stay where I shipped to stay." 

" Go, then ; you'll be sick yourself some of these 
days ; and mark me, if you rot in the forecastle, don't 
call on me !" 

This was his apology for the wrong done me. I 
might have known what to expect, had I reflected a 
little. Certainly it was natural enough to look for 
decent treatment after the close attention I had be- 
stowed upon him during his painful illness, though 
I had only discharged my duty as a fellow-creature. 

May 6th. — Made the Island of Zanzibar, bearing 



MAKE THE ISLAND OF ZANZIBAR. 301 

S.S.W., distant twenty miles. We spent two days 
in a vain attempt to make the southern point of the 
island, and finally had to put to sea again, being 
driven as far as the Island of Pemba by strong 
southerly currents. 

May 20th. — After two weeks of great hardship 
and suffering, owing to continual exposure to strong 
shifting winds and rains, the watch on deck made 
land. At daylight we ran down for it, and discov- 
ered that it was the coast of Africa to the northward 
of Monfea. By an observation at noon we found 
that we were in the latitude of 7° 10' S. During 
the day we passed a great number of reefs and isl- 
ands a few leagues from the main land. At night, 
anchored about three miles off shore. 

May 21st. — All hands were called at daylight. 
Weighed anchor and stood along the coast, passing 
a great number of beautiful little islands, some of 
which were inhabited. About noon we made Zan- 
zibar at Ras Kizimbas, the southern point. Stood 
along shore till dark, and cast anchor in eight fathoms 
of water, about two leagues from N'Googa, the town. 

May 22d. — Anchor watches were set, and we en- 
joyed a comfortable night's rest after the fatiguing 
duties of the last three weeks. At daylight the 
hands were called, and the larboard boat lowered to 
make soundings toward the town. After breakfast 
we weighed anchor and made sail. At ten A.M. 
came to an anchcor about half a mile off the town, 
below the sultan's frigate, Sha-Halm. 



302 PLANNING DESERTION. 

We found our old friend, the Bogota, ashore, 
wrecked — her fore-top-mast gone, and her rigging in 

great disorder. Captain F and three or four 

of his men were living ashore in a bamboo hut. 
We learned from them that the Bogota had struck 
upon a coral reef about the latitude of 11° S., and 
her top-mast went overboard. She leaked so badly 
that the greater part of her crew abandoned her, 
and started in two boats, under the command of the 

mate, for the coast. Captain F remained, with 

three or four hands, on board until the tide rose, 
when he succeeded in getting her off. He then ran 
down for the Island of Zanzibar, and when off the 
eastern side, sent ashore for assistance. The sultan 
sent a number of slaves to aid him in getting round 
to the anchorage. One of his men had already died 
from exposure to the night dews, and two others 
were prostrated with a high fever. The cargo, with 
the exception of about twenty barrels of oil, was 
saved. 

May 23d. — The starboard watch had liberty 
ashore. It was a preconcerted plan that several of 
the crew were to desert upon the first opportunity. 
Drawn together by a common understanding, we 
had assembled in the forecastle every evening since 
we made land, to concert measures for ridding our- 
selves of the many grievances under which we la- 
bored. We were now a reckless and desperate 
gang. We had been driven almost to the verge of 
a mutiny by the harsh and brutal manner in which 



DESERTION. 303 

we were treated, and the hard fare upon which we 
were compelled to live. The more we dwelt upon 
these things, the more excited became our passions. 
Bitter wrongs; the cruelties and oppressions to 
which we were subjected; the necessity for some 
change, were discussed with fierce imprecations 
upon the head of the tyrant. 

The men looked up to me as an adviser, and al- 
though I preached moderation, I did not feel it. I 
showed them the necessity of keeping cool till a 
suitable opportunity occurred of presenting their 
wrongs before the American consul; but those of 
them who had been to sea before knew too well 
that consuls are, in many instances, but the aiders 
and abettors of the cruelties of captains. I knew 
that it was useless to go aft and make an appeal to 
the captain, but I also knew that any thing like mu- 
tiny would be severely punished. I therefore advis- 
ed them to keep quiet till a proper opportunity oc- 
curred, and then rid themselves of their troubles by 
staying ashore. 

Fearing, from some treachery of the Portuguese, 
that it was the intention of some of the crew to de- 
sert, the captain called us all aft, before the starboard 
watch went ashore, and thus addressed us : 

"Now you're going ashore. Before you go, let 
me tell you what to expect. The natives will mur- 
der you if you go outside the town. You'd better 
keep in sight of the ship, and not trust 'em. You 
hear me, don't you ? The consul says he'll put you 



304 DESERTION. 

in the fort if you stay ashore after dark. I'll send a 
boat for you at sundown, and if you ain't on the 
beach, look out ! that's all." 

When the boat came alongside that evening two 
of the watch were missing — Bully and Tom Vernon. 
This was only a beginning. The captain was in a 
perfect fury, and walked the quarter-deck, speaking 
aloud, 

"Yes, they're gone; an' I suppose you'll all be 
tryin' it next. You'd better not ! Til catch 'em, 
and, d — n their souls, I'll warm their backs. I'll see 
whether my crew will leave me or not ! You'll not 
have watch ashore another one of you. It 'ill stop 
here ; I'll not lose any more men, if I can help it !" 

In order to carry out his threat, the officers receiv- 
ed orders to keep all hands on board. Strict watch- 
es of the boat-steerers were set at night to prevent 
us from deserting. The captain hired four natives 
to row him ashore; and for six days we remained 
on board in a perfect state of despair, only allowed 
ashore occasionally to work hard under the eyes of 
officers. 

Notwithstanding the vigilance of the watches set 
over us, the cook made his escape on the night of 
the 28th. While the officer was aft, he slipped 
down over the head, with his bundle of clothes on 
his back, and swam ashore. 

The captain was rowed ashore next morning by 
his black crew. After he had left the vessel, there 
was quite an entertaining adventure occurred to re- 



SWIMMING FOR IT. 305 

lieve the monotony of our prison life. The Portu- 
guese, who had become very insolent and impatient 
under the restraints imposed upon them, determined 
that, as there was nothing to do on board, and no 
liberty allowed them, they would have it in defiance 
of orders. Enos, George, Manuel, and Jose entered 
into an agreement to swim ashore, and the rest of 
the Portuguese agreed, if called upon by the mate to 
man the boat, that they would be so slow about it as 
to afford the deserters a chance to reach the beach. 
Manuel and Jose, after a good deal of talk, backed, 
out, being afraid of the mate. The other two, Enos 
and George, slipped down by the cat-heads, and 
struck out boldly for the beach. They had pro- 
ceeded about two hundred yards, when the mate, 
happening to cast his eye in that direction, discov- 
ered them. 

"Lower away a boat!" he roared. "Jump in, 

Tabor ! Stand by the davit-tackles, B ! Blast 

your souls, where are you all ?" 

The Portuguese came up out of the forecastle, ap- 
parently somewhat astonished, and inquired if there 
was a sperm whale in sight. After a volley of oaths 
from the mate, four of the crew, among whom was 
myself, were gathered together, and the boat was 
lowered. The tackles were all foul, and it took us 
some ten minutes to get them clear. A good deal 
of delay occurred also in shipping our oars ; but we 
finally arranged every thing, and started off in pur- 
suit of the fugitives. As we were not pulling for 

a q 



306 OVERHAULED. 

whales, the oars were in no danger of being broken 
by any vigorous exertions on our part. Seeing the 
boat in chase of them, the deserters came to a halt, 
and we picked them up within a few cable lengths 
of the shore. As soon as we got on board and hoist- 
ed the boat upon the cranes, the mate came forward 
and addressed us in a very pithy and forcible speech. 

" Now," said he, puffing and blowing, after the ad- 
venture, " what the nation d'ye all mean by this 1 
I'll let some of you know who I am, if I catch you 
at such tricks again. You want to get me into 
trouble — that's it. None of your Portuguese lingo 
on deck ! I'll see if I can't keep you on board. I've 
received orders to seize you up in the main rigging 
if I catch any of you attempting to desert. If you 
wan't liberty ashore, talk to the captain ; he's the 
boss. If I had my way, you'd all be ashore, and in 
Halifax, for what I care. You're a gang of bloody 
cowards, or you'd speak to the captain. If you 
think to impose on me because I'm easy, you're 
damnably mistaken. You'll see what I can be, if 
you carry things too far." 

When Captain A came on board, the two 

delinquents were called aft, and confined in the cab- 
in. Mr. D was then called to an account for 

what the captain termed negligence in suffering 
these men to get away from the vessel. A quarrel 
ensued. The mate denied that it was owing to any 
negligence on his part. The captain called him a 
liar. 



BILL MANN GONE. 307 

" Yes," said he, hoarse with passion, " it's a d — d 
lie ! If you had been attending to your business, it 
wouldn't have occurred." 

"Captain A , I have given you to understand 

that I won't suffer any such language from you or 
any other man. Now I tell you stop it in time." 

" What ! do you threaten me 1" 

"I tell you for your own good. Stop it, sir — 
that's all!" 

And with a meaning shake of the head the mate 
went below. 

Next day Bill Mann got ashore, and made an ex- 
change with Captain F 's cook, a negro, who, 

for a trifling sum to boot, took Bill's place on board 
the Styx. There were now in the forecastle, besides 

the Portuguese, only M'F , Charley, and myself. 

It was a perfect bedlam. The Portuguese had be- 
come so brutal and overbearing, that it was worse 
than death to live among them. The captain had, 
during the whole voyage, sided with them, and 
showed a strong preference for them over the Amer- 
icans, so that they were countenanced in all their 
brutality. 



308 ALL IN THE SULKS. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Effects of ill Treatment. — Scene in the Forecastle. — Combination 
to refuse Duty. — A bad Predicament. — Revolt. — Dreadful Con- 
dition of Things on Board. — Appeal to the Consul. — Interview with 
him. — Exertions to find a Substitute. — Disappointment. — Sus- 
pense. — Hope. — Another Disappointment. — Bargain with a Quad- 
roon. — Swapping Places with a Negro. — Procure my Discharge. — • 
A happy Release. — Good-by to the Styx. 

Things were now in the worst possible condition. 
Three men had deserted ; others had threatened to 
desert. The captain was terribly out of humor. 
The mate chuckled in his sleeve, and would have 
rejoiced had all hands followed the example of the 
deserters. All this trouble was nuts to him. To 
weigh anchor for another cruise without our full com- 
plement of men was out of the question. We had 
all sufficiently tested the hardship of whaling with 
two boats. It was not probable the deserters would 
be retaken, and there were no men to be had ashore 
except the natives. Still it seemed hardly fair that, 
with the prospect of a week or two in port, and lit- 
tle to do, our liberty should be stopped for an offense 
of which others were guilty. 

May 25th. — I went below, as usual, after supper. 
The Portuguese were in earnest conversation. 

M'F and Charley were also talking over some 

deeply interesting subject. There was a sudden 
cessation of the conversation the moment I entered 



MUTINOUS. 309 

the forecastle. It was evident something profoundly 
mysterious was going on. I inquired what was 
afloat, but received only an evasive answer, which 
tended to increase my suspicion. Shortly after I 
had turned in, Charley came to my bunk, and whis- 
pered, 

" We have all agreed to refuse duty, What do 
you think of it ? Will you go on deck in the morn- 
ing, or stay below V 

« Why, what's the matter ?" said I. 

" Matter enough. We don't want to be slaves 
any longer. We are determined to have liberty 
ashore, or weigh anchor and put to sea at once." 

The Portuguese overheard us, and joined with 
Charley, protesting with oaths that they'd go to sea 
or have liberty ashore, one or the other, and that I'd 
better join them, if I didn't want to get myself into 
trouble. I remarked that the trouble would most 
probably be on their side, and warned them of the 
consequences which might ensue from a revolt of this 
kind. They were all in a high state of excitement, 
however, and would not listen to argument or reason. 
For my part, I said I would go on deck when called. 
I was as anxious as any of them to have liberty 
ashore, but had no particular desire to be put in the 
fort. 

" Then," cried several voices, " you are a coward I 
If you had any spirit, you'd join us ; but you're afraid 
of the captain." 

I observed, in reply, that none of them could justly 



310 MUTINOUS. 

accuse me of cowardice. I had never flinched from 
real danger ; and I considered it no proof of courage 
to commit an act of folly, which would only bring 
additional trouble upon my own head. 

" Then you'll sleep on deck to-night ! We won't 
have you here, by G- — d !" cried Manuel, the bully 
of the Portuguese. Juan, Jose, Frank, and some of 
the others, joined in threatening to put me on deck. 
I made no answer, but lay still, expecting an assault. 
Charley and M'F , I believed, would not coun- 
tenance such an outrage; yet I knew that, when 
excited, the Portuguese would stop at nothing, how- 
ever brutal or cowardly, to gratify their animosity ; 
and, even if the two Americans joined me, we could 
make but a feeble resistance against eight overgrown 
ruffians, all armed with knives. 

After the Portuguese had chattered a while in 
their own language, they again addressed me : 

" You had better go on deck. If you don't, look 
out to-night !" 

To this I replied, that I knew them too well to be 
intimidated by their threats. 

" Then, if you sleep in the forecastle, you sha'n't 
go on deck in the morning. You can have your 
choice : go on deck now, or stay below in the morn- 
ing." 

My answer was, " I shall do neither. I have as 
much right to sleep in the forecastle as you have. 
Your refusing to do duty is a matter that concerns 
yourselves. I shall not be driven into trouble by 
any of you." 



THREATS FROM THE PORTUGUESE. 31] 

These cowardly dogs, who could be so bold on 
an occasion like this, when thej only had but one to 
contend against, one whom they had every reason to 
suppose would not fight — for I had never taken any 
notice of their insults — now began to make demon- 
strations of an assault. All my past hatred for them 
seemed to be centered in a single moment. I felt as 
if suddenly inspired with supernatural strength. My 
blood boiled with indignation and contempt. To 
use a western phrase, I was, for the first time in my 
life, really wolfish. In the bitterness of intense and 
loathing hatred I cursed them, taunted them, dared 
them to lay a hand on me. Now, let it not be sup- 
posed that I intend this for bravado ; Ikneio my men. 
I knew that nothing but a bold front could save me 
the disgrace of being severely thrashed. Besides, I 
despised them with the most unfeigned cordiality, 
and it relieved me to let off a little of my exuberant 
valor. The effect was magical. Not one of them 

touched me ! Charley and M'F lay in their 

bunks chuckling over the fun ; nor did their mirth 
surprise me, for the whole scene had something su- 
premely ludicrous in it. As I turned over to go to 
sleep, after this bloodless fracas, I overheard Manuel 
say "he had a sharp knife, and I'd feel it before I 
knew where I was." 

About midnight I was awakened by low voices in 
conversation. To tell the truth, I had not slept very 
soundly. There was something, in spite of all the 
bravado of the Portuguese, by no means pleasant in 



312 FOUND OUT. 

my situation. By listening attentively, I found that 
Hankley and Antoine, the two Portuguese boat- 
steerers, were below discussing the topics of discon- 
tent. A smattering of their language enabled me to 
make out the substance of their conversation. It ap- 
peared that they apprehended Enos and George 
would be flogged for attempting to desert. They 
were resolved the punishment should not take place ; 
and the doubtful point seemed to be, whether, if all 
the Portuguese united in a revolt to prevent the pun- 
ishment, Charley, M'F , and myself would join 

them. I heard my name mentioned very often, ac- 
companied by epithets of no flattering character; 
and, indeed, felt rather uneasy till the boat-steerers 
went on deck. 

At daylight next morning the watch came to the 
scuttle as usual, and called all hands. I had not un- 
dressed, so that before any attempt could be made to 
keep me below, I was on deck. In the course often 
or fifteen minutes the mate came forward, and asked 
the reason of the delay. Finding how matters stood, 
he went aft, with an ill-concealed chuckle, to convey 
the information to the captain. 

No notice was taken of the revolt till after break- 
fast, when all hands were called aft. The captain 
appeared to take matters pretty coolly, considering 
the indignity offered to his authority. Had this af- 
fair happened at sea, he would have pursued a dif- 
ferent course. There was a consul ashore, how- 
ever, and he was evidently anxious to avoid having 



GAME BLOCKED. 313 

any investigation of the ship's economy before that 
officer. 

" Now," said the captain, very deliberately, thrust- 
ing his hands in his pockets, and taking his stand 
by the main-mast, "you that belong to that 'ere 
crowd, stay where you are ; and you that don't, step 
over to leeward." 

No one stepped over to leeward- but myself. 

" Well," continued the captain, fixing his cold, 
dead eyes on the Portuguese, " what's the matter 1 
Why don't you go to work ?" 

There was no answer, till Charley stepped for- 
ward and said, " We want liberty ashore, sir." 

" You shdrit have it /" was the reply. 

" Then, sir, we want to put to sea, and get over 
the voyage as soon as we can. We didn't ship to 
lay up in port without liberty." 

" I'll put to sea whenever I think proper," said 
the captain. " Will that suit you 1 What have you 
to say, M'F— f" 

" I want to go ashore, sir, or go to sea." 

" You sha'n't go ashore, nor to sea till it suits my 
convenience. What next V 

" We'll not work, then, that's all." 

" Go forward, all of you. I'll soon find a way to 
make you work. Cook, see that those men have 
nothing to eat till I give you orders to the contrary ! 
I'll starve this obstinacy out of you." 

The mutineers then went forward, and took up 
their quarters for the day in the forecastle. As it 

Rr 



314 REWARD OF VIRTUE. 

happened, the bread-kid had been replenished that 
morning, so that they suffered no inconvenience 
from starvation that day. It was perfectly apparent 
that, unless they resorted to forcible measures to pro- 
cure a supply of provisions, they would soon be 
compelled to yield. Finding the captain resolute in 
his determination to give them nothing to eat till 
they went to work, the Portuguese next day came 

into measures. Charley and M'F , who were 

left in a small minority, apparently yielded; but it 
was with the mutual understanding that they would 
desert on the first favorable opportunity, and, if no 
such opportunity offered, they would swim ashore 
the night previous to the sailing of the vessel. Thus 
ended the revolt. To my great surprise, I learned, 
when it was all over, that the captain suspected me 
of being the originator of all the mischief, and re- 
garded the course I had taken as a mere ruse to 
avoid punishment ! 

My situation was now more unpleasant than ever. 
On the one hand, reproached and taunted by the 
crew for refusing to join them in their revolt, and, 
on the other, suspected by the captain as the real 
instigator of all the mischief, I had no peace either 
on deck or below. The prospect of being compel- 
led to spend a year or fifteen months longer on 
board the barque, with all the horrors of the past 
increased tenfold, drove me to the verge of despair. 
I thought of the parting words of the man who had 
made his escape from the steam-boat at Newport, 



RESOLUTION TO DO SOMETHING. 315 

Rhode Island ; I reflected with many bitter thoughts 
upon my indiscretion in not following his advice ; I 
called to mind the unhappy fate of my friend, left 
sick and destitute in a foreign land ; and, so help 
me God ! sooner than drag out another such year 
of misery, I would gladly have exchanged my place 
with that of the most abject slave in Mississippi; 
nay, so desperate did my prospect seem, that, had 
the offer been made me to serve a year in one of 
the state penitentiaries, I believe, from the bottom of 
my heart, I would have accepted it in preference to 
the life I now led. 

In a state of mind bordering on madness, I resolv- 
ed to take a bold step, which, if successful, might 
procure me my release, but, if not, might be the 
means of my disgrace during the remainder of the 
voyage. I had no confidence in the captain's hu- 
manity. I knew very well, if I attempted to desert 
and did not succeed, I should be seized up and 
flogged like a dumb brute. The degradation of such 
a mode of punishment I had not yet experienced, 
and I was anxious to avoid it, if possible ; for it was 
my firm determination, from the moment I first wit- 
nessed it, to take a more summary method of aveng- 
ing the wrong, should it ever be inflicted upon me, 
than that of the law. My intention was first to 
make an appeal to the United States consul, lay the 
facts before him, and, if unsuccessful, to desert and 
suffer the consequences. I knew the fact of my ap- 
pearing anxious to leave the vessel would be a suffi- 



316 STRONG APPEAL TO THE CONSUL. 

cient cause, in the eyes of the captain, to treat me 
with increased barbarity in case I remained on 
board ; so that if I failed, I might as well desert, and 
run the risk of being retaken and flogged. There 

were but two Americans left, M'F and Clifford. 

I had no reason to rejoice in the prospect of having, 
in addition to eight Portuguese, three or four beast- 
ly negroes to share the forecastle with us. 

I remained on deck till a late hour, reflecting upon 
my condition. About midnight, finding all the watch 
asleep, I stole softly down into the forecastle, and, by 
the flickering rays of the lamp, commenced my work. 
Seated on a soap-keg, I made use of one of the chests 
as a desk, and wrote a long letter to the American 
consul, setting forth the particulars of my unpleasant 
situation, and the hardships which I had endured, 
together with the dreadful alternative before me, of 
remaining on board the vessel another year, if he 
should not exercise his influence to procure my dis- 
charge. I appealed to his humanity— his sense of 
justice as an officer of the American government. I 
called upon him, with all the eloquence I was mas- 
ter of, to save me from the horrors of such a life. It 
occurred to me that the letter might fall into the 
hands of the captain, or some of his officers, and, to 
guard against any unpleasant consequences that 
might arise from such miscarriage, I made no com- 
plaint against them ; though I could have said a good 
deal that would have placed them in no enviable 
light. This letter I sealed, and, putting it under my 



ANXIETY. 317 

pillow, turned in to dream of home and happier 
times. 

Next morning, perceiving that M'F was about 

to go ashore in the mate's boat for wood, I slipped 
the letter into his pocket, and begged him, if an op- 
portunity should occur, to hand it with due secrecy 
to the consul. Mack was the very man whom I 
would have chosen, had I any choice in the matter, 
for this delicate commission. Honest and kind- 
hearted, he had my most implicit confidence. I felt 
quite sure he would spare no exertion to do me a 
service. 

How can I depict the tortures of suspense that I 
suffered that day ? My mind was racked with alter- 
nate hopes and doubts. Would the consul receive 
my letter ? What would be its effect 1 Would he 
demand my instant discharge, or pay no attention 
whatever to my appeal 1 These were but a few of 
the conflicting questions upon which my mind dwelt 
during the absence of my shipmate. Hour after 
hour I watched the boat with eager eyes and a throb- 
bing heart. At length I saw the crew get in and 
push off. I felt faint with expectation. After a 
tedious pull they hauled up alongside. Mack's face 
beamed with good nature. I read in its expression 
the success of my mission. He had delivered the 
letter. The consul had read it, but made no com- 
ment upon its contents, except that he would be glad 
to see me the first time I went ashore. 

The question then was, would I have an oppor- 



318 THE CONSUL. 

tunity of going ashore before the vessel weighed an- 
chor 1 All that day and part of the next I remained 
in the same miserable state of suspense. At length 
the mate sang out, " Man the waist-boat !" Every 
one was anxious to get ashore, and all hands rushed 
for the davit-tackles. I did not even wait till the 
boat was lowered, but, with one spring over the bul- 
warks, made good my place. It fortunately happen- 
ed that the key of the wood-yard was up at the con- 
sul's. While the mate was thinking how he would 
get it, I volunteered my services to run for it ; and 
the answer had scarcely escaped his lips, when I was 
off 

The consul chanced to be standing at the door. I 
approached him with awe and trembling ; for he it 
was who was to decide my fate. Having first de- 
livered my message, and procured the key of the 
wood-yard, I hesitated whether to address him, or 
leave the matter entirely to himself. While con- 
sidering what course I should pursue, he called me, 
and said, 

" Are you the young man who sent me this let- 
ter?" 

" Yes, sir," said I. 

" Well, when will you be ashore again I" 

" 1 can't say, sir ; the captain allows us no more 
liberty." 

" Call upon me to-morrow, and I'll talk this mat- 
ter over with you ; I shall see the captain about giv- 
ing you permission." 



TRIFLES IN THE WAY. 319 

Elated with the hope of a speedy release, I hur- 
ried down to the wood-yard, and went to work with 
a zeal that I had not felt for many months 

Permission was given me to go ashore next day 
with one of the boat-steerers, who, as good fortune 
would have it, was no other than my worthy friend 
Tabor. I communicated to him the object of my 
mission. He said he was sorry to think of parting 
with me ; but, for my own good, wished me suc- 
cess. I lost no time in calling upon the consul after 
leaving the kind-hearted boat-steerer. On my ar- 
rival at the consular residence, I was shown up stairs, 
where Mr. W attended to private matters. 

" I see," said he, " you are not pleased with the 
whaling business. You find it, no doubt, different 
from what you expected. It is a severe lesson to 
you, and I hope you will profit by it. I am willing 
to aid you so far as I have the power, but have no 
authority to demand your discharge from the vessel. 
If you can procure a hand to take your place, it is 
probable the captain will consent to an exchange. 
In that way you may succeed, but I know of no 
other." 

" That, I fear, can not be done," said I ; " the cap- 
tain would keep me, if for no other reason than be- 
cause I wish to procure my discharge ; besides, I owe 
him thirty dollars." 

" I am sorry for it ; the whole matter rests with 
him." 

" Then, sir, I shall be compelled to desert. I can 
not remain on board the vessel another year." 



320 consul's generosity. 

" That would be unwise. We have no other al- 
ternative here than to put deserters in the fort, and 
there you would soon take the fever." 

" Well, death is preferable to my present condi- 
tion." 

" If you think it would be of any avail," replied the 
consul, " you may tell the captain that I will pay 
your bill ; and, to show you that I am willing to do 
all I can for you, I give you liberty to offer ten, fif- 
teen, or twenty dollars to any of Captain F 's 

crew who will take your place." 

This was certainly as much as I could have ex- 
pected from any American. Thanking the consul 

for his kindness, I set out for Captain F 's hut, 

and there made the proposition to those of the Bo- 
gota's crew who were not prostrated with the fever. 
It was like offering fire to a burned man. Not one 
of them would listen to my proposition. They had 
experienced too many of the hardships of a whaling 
voyage within a month or two past to be tempted by 
any pecuniary inducements. 

Sadly disappointed, I went off in search of a sub- 
stitute among the natives. The sun was intensely 
hot, and the streets were like long, dirty ovens. Af- 
ter a harassing ramble of two hours from hut to hut 
— seldom meeting any one who could speak Eng- 
lish — I fell in with a couple of young blacks, who 
had been to sea before, and could speak English 
with tolerable fluency. They both seemed anxious 
to ship, and agreed to take my place if I could make 
an arrangement of that kind with the captain. 



SEARCH FOR A SUBSTITUTE. 321 

I returned to the consul's, and gave him the result 
of my search. The only difficulty, he said, in tak- 
ing natives of the island, would be the consequences 
it might lead to in case the vessel should fall in with 
a man-of-war. So many blacks on board would ex- 
cite the suspicion that she was a slaver, and much 
embarrassment might result from it. If the captain 
was willing to take one of them, however, he thought 
the matter could be arranged. 

Without any delay, I proceeded down to the 
beach, and, finding the boat ready to start, went on 
board. It was nearly sundown. The work of the 
day was over, and I found the crew lounging about 
the forecastle, smoking and chatting as usual. Learn- 
ing from Clifford that the captain had given orders 
to the mate to weigh anchor early in the morning, 
for the purpose of dropping down opposite the 
imaum's palace to procure a supply of water from 
the Motoney, preparatory to making immediate sail 
on another cruise, I became alarmed about my 
prospect of effecting the exchange. Not an hour 
was to be lost. As yet I had not broached the sub- 
ject to the captain. 

Plucking up all my courage, I walked aft to the 
larboard boat, in which he was sitting, and, taking 
off my hat, respectfully asked his attention for a few 
moments. 

" Well, what do you want V said he, staring at 
me as if he had never seen me before. " What's the 
matter now 1" 

Ss 



322 SEARCH FOR A SUBSTITUTE. 

" I wish, sir," said I, striving hard to suppress my 
agitation, " to procure somebody in my place. This 
business does not suit me ; I should like to have my 
discharge." 

" What ! Discharge, hey 1 Why, I thought you 
were very well satisfied. I haven't heard you say 
you wanted to leave the vessel till now !" replied the 
captain, with unfeigned astonishment. 

" Because I thought it would be useless. Now, 
sir, if I procure a hand in my place, will you let me 
go? I have no peace with those Portuguese, and 
would rather take my chance of dying of the fever 
than remain on board." 

" Oh ho ! that's it, hey 1 If that's all, you may 
rest easy. I intend putting you, and Clifford, and 
M'F— in the aft-hold as soon as we get to sea." 

This was a "stumper." I could only reply that, 
under any circumstances, I would prefer having my 
discharge, adding, that the consul had promised to 
pay my bill, and I would engage to furnish a first- 
rate hand in my place. I was then dismissed, with 
the remark that " he'd see about it." 

At five o'clock next morning we weighed anchor 
and dropped down to the Motoney. Immediately 
after breakfast, while the men were battening the 
casks for a raft, I renewed my application. The 
captain was not at all pleased at the dissatisfaction 
manifested lately by his crew. He thought he had 
treated us well, and wanted to know the reason we 
were all so anxious to leave the ship. It would tell 



DARK SUCCESS. PLEASANTRY OF THE CAPTAIN. 323 

badly for him with the owners, if he went home 
with but two or three of his original crew. This 
was the first time he ever condescended to argue the 
point, and I could not but feel surprised at his won- 
derful benevolence. However, a little reflection en- 
abled me to see through it. He thought it highly 
probable I would desert, and preferred having a man 
in my place, while, at the same time, he would leave 
a good impression. After some quibbling about hav- 
ing so many negroes on board, he agreed to take 
one of the natives to whom I had alluded. No op- 
portunity to go ashore occurred till in the afternoon, 
when the consul's boat came alongside with a clerk, 
who had business with the captain. I was permit- 
ted to accompany him back to the town. In about 
an hour the captain came ashore for his papers, hav- 
ing concluded to put to sea before officers and all 
left the vessel. When I produced my substitute, 
who was a fine, stout young negro, the captain, 
without assigning any reason, peremptorily refused 
to take him, and ordered me on board again. I had 
no alternative but to obey. The barque was all 
ready for sea next morning, and I felt sure, if I went 
on board again, I should lose the last opportunity of 
making my escape, having no doubt strict watches 
would be set that night. On my way down to the 

boat, I met one of Captain F 's men, to whom I 

had proposed an exchange on a previous occasion. 
I again broached the subject, and, knowing him to 
be a reckless fellow, to whom whaling was as agree- 



324 ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE. 

able as any other pursuit, I had no qualms of con- 
science in offering him every inducement. He was 
a rough, stout-built quadroon from South Carolina, 
and had been drifting about the world for eight or 
ten years past. With an iron constitution and a 
happy disposition, he never troubled himself with 
any of the niceties of feeling or thought, and I sin- 
cerely believed he was much better adapted for the 
situation than I was. I offered him ten dollars in 
cash, and all my clothes, together with my sea-chest, 
and whatever else I had on board, if he would take 
my place. Such an offer was hard to resist. He 
said he would not agree to take my place, but would 
ship as boat-steerer, in which capacity he had serv- 
ed on board the Bogota, at the fiftieth lay, provided 
I would give him the ten dollars and the clothes. 
It made no difference to me, of course, in what ca- 
pacity he shipped, if I could procure my discharge 
by an exchange. I had but little time to talk, how- 
ever, as the boat was waiting ; and, telling him I 
would consult the captain, and that he must be down 
about the beach before dark, pushed off once more 
for the hated barque. 

It was decided that we were to weigh anchor 
and put to sea at daylight next morning. I had but 
two or three hours to spare ; the captain might not 
come on board till dark, and then it would be too 
late to make the arrangement which I so ardently 
desired. I did not know, even, whether he would 
take my substitute, having already, without cause, 
refused the man whom he had promised to take. 



FINAL ARRANGEMENT. 325 

In the most racking state of suspense I awaited 
the arrival of his boat. I must have looked like a 
madman, for the crew made comments upon my un- 
natural wildness. I was, indeed, somewhat bereft 
of my senses, and had difficulty in controlling my 
feelings. A long, weary hour of torture elapsed be- 
fore the captain made his appearance. With min- 
gled feelings of hope and despair I approached him, 
and told him the particulars of my interview with 
the quadroon. It fortunately happened that this 
was a man to whom the captain had himself applied 
some days previously, and whose services he was 
most anxious to secure. The only difficulty was 
about the lay. However, sooner than not have him, 
he consented to go ashore with me and talk to the 
man, and if they could agree upon the terms, he 
would give me my discharge. 

1 need hardly say I sprang into the boat half fran- 
tic with delight. So overpowered, indeed, did I 
feel with joy at the prospect of my release, uncertain 
as it was, that I could scarcely refrain from telling 
the captain I considered him a pretty clever fellow, 
after all. 

To make a long story short, the matter was ar- 
ranged to my entire satisfaction, and we went up to 
the consul's to sign the papers and settle accounts. 
I did not feel sure of my release till I held the writ- 
ten discharge in my own hand ; then, for the first 
time in my life, I felt what it really was to be free ! 
I am sure I must have made myself very ridiculous. 



326 LEAVE-TAKING. POOR MACK ! 

I hardly know what I said or did, for I was delirious 
with joy. In the phrensy of my delight I shook 
hands with the captain, and wished him a pleasant 
and prosperous voyage ; well knowing, even then, 
that for half a dollar he would have sold my liberty 
for life had it been in his power. 

Once more I returned to the vessel to bid good- 
by to my old comrades. The cooper, Tabor, the 

mate, Charley, and M'F shook me cordially by 

the hand, and wished me all success and happiness. 
I really felt sorry at parting from friends to whom I 
had become so warmly attached, more particularly 
Tabor and the poor Yankee boy, for both of whom 
I entertained the strongest regard. Poor Mack! I 
had been his warmest friend, and the tears stood in 
his eyes as he bid me good-by. I would have given 
the savings of ten years to come to have had him 
share my good fortune. Nor was it without emo- 
tion that I parted with the Portuguese. We had 
lived many months together; we had endured the 
same hardships, faced the same dangers, suffered to- 
gether, and stood night-watches together; and, al- 
though I did not regret that the tie of our fellowship 
was broken, I sincerely wished them well, and was 
deeply impressed with the thought that, as our paths 
through life lay in different directions, those faces so 
familiar to me, I should, in all likelihood, never see 
again. From the bottom of my heart I forgave them 
all I ever had against them. They had enjoyed but 
few of the blessings of social life ; their career from 



THE CHANGE ! 327 

childhood had been one of labor and hardship. I 
saw more in them to pity than to blame, and I felt 
sorry for every harsh word I had spoken to them 
during our unhappy voyage. 

The transition from the filthy forecastle of a whal- 
er to a large and commodious stone house, furnished 
in European style, and to the society of a little circle 
of educated New Englanders, was so unexpected 
and so difficult to realize, that for many days I could 
hardly avoid thinking it a delightful dream. How 
my blood thrilled through my veins and how my 
heart bounded with joy, when I saw around me ob- 
jects that brought to mind home, friends, civilization, 
and all the blessings and comforts of social life ! 
Above all, how entrancing, how indescribably de- 
lightful, was my long-wished-for freedom ! how 
happy the thought that I was no longer subject to 
the whims and caprices of a tyrant ! 

So great was my horror of the life I had led dur- 
ing the past year, that in my sleep, for weeks after 
my release, I struggled with imaginary foes, whom 
my morbid fancy pictured in the act of dragging me 
on board again ; and often, when I awoke and 
looked around me, I wondered what had become of 
the rusty forecastle lamp with its dim, flickering rays. 
Where were the haggard faces of the sick, the 
groans, the curses, the gurgling of the water, the 
roar of the gale, the hoarse voices calling the watch ! 

I learned from one of the natives who was on 
board the Styx when she weighed anchor, that, early 



328 ZANZIBAR. 

on the night previous to her departure, my unfortu- 
nate comrades, Charley and M'F , had attempt- 
ed to escape by swimming ashore. A boat was 
lowered after them before they succeeded in reach- 
ing the beach, and they were taken on board and 
put in irons, to be flogged as soon as the vessel got 
to sea. Let it be borne in mind that these were 
American citizens — that they had committed no 
crime in following the dictates of nature ! 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Description of Zanzibar. — Imaum's Harem. — Castle Antiquities. — 
Inhabitants of N'Googa. — Sowhelian Customs. — Poetry. — Imaum's 
Palace. — Commercial Advantages of Zanzibar. — Treaties. — Aham- 
et Bin Hamees. — Rajab. — Exaggerations of Travelers. — Despotic 
Government. — Possessions of Syed Syed Bin Soultan. — Presents 
to his Highness. — Fate of the American Pleasure-boat. 

Zanzibar, the present seat of government of Syed 
Syed Bin Soultan, imaum of Muscat, is situated in 
the Indian Ocean, within four leagues of the eastern 
coast of Africa, between the latitude of 5° and 7° 
south, and longitude 39° and 41° east. It is forty- 
five miles in length, and varies from fifteen to twen- 
ty miles in breadth. 

N'Googa, the town of Zanzibar, is situated nearly 
midway between the northern and southern points 
of the island, in latitude 6° 10' south, and longitude 
39° 41' east. From the bay it has quite a flourish- 



— 



ZANZIBAR. 329 

ing appearance. Many of the buildings along the 
beach are large stone edifices, which are white- 
washed, and present a very pleasing appearance to 
the eye. The hnaum's harem, or town residence, 
occupies a prominent position near the water's edge, 
and is a regular, though not a handsome building, of 
a larger size than any other fronting the bay. Be- 
fore the door is a tall staff, bearing the blood-red flag 
of Arabia. The custom-house, now rented from the 
imaum by a Banyan merchant, Jeram Bin Seeva, at 
the sum of $150,000 a year (from which a rough 
estimate of the trade may be formed), is a low bam- 
boo hut, thatched with palmetto leaves, and like any 
thing but a custom-house, according to our notions 
of the importance of such an edifice. Perhaps the 
most interesting specimen of architecture in the place 
is the castle and its fortifications. It is supposed by 
the English consul, Captain Hamilton, a very intel- 
ligent gentleman well versed in these matters, that 
this castle was erected by the Portuguese soon after 
they got possession of the island ; and from a com- 
parison of the style of architecture with that of the 
Brazilians and Western Islanders, I am strongly in- 
clined to the same opinion. It is a large, massive 
structure, about three hundred feet long and a hun- 
dred and fifty wide, with a tower at each corner, and 
a spacious terrace in front of it, the outer part of 
which is fortified by a battery, or row of heavy stone 
abutments for the protection of the soldiers and the 
gunnery. It is evident, even to an inexperienced 

T T 



330 CURIOUS OLD CANNONS. 

observer, that the castle and its fortifications, well 
provided as they are with soldiers and guns, would 
stand but a slender chance before a broadside from 
an English or American frigate. At this time the 
entire building is in a ruinous condition, and there is 
nothing about it to show that it was ever a good 
specimen of architectural skill. A volume might be 
written on the eventful history of the old cannons 
lying in front of the castle ; and yet I am not aware 
that they have ever been mentioned by travelers 
who have visited Zanzibar. There is a rare and 
valuable work in possession of the English consul, 
entitled, " Curious and Entertaining Voyages, un- 
dertaken either for Discovery, Conquest, or the Ben- 
efit of Trade, by Portuguese Navigators, from the 
earliest Voyages under the Auspices of Prince Henry 
of Portugal, down to the seventeenth Century." In 
this work there is an account given of the voyages 
and discoveries of Albuquerque, and his conquests in 
the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea. The 
cannons to which I allude have certain inscriptions 
in Portuguese and Arabic, which were translated to 
me by Captain Hamilton, proving beyond a doubt 
that they were cast by a follower of Albuquerque. 
In the narrative of his exploits, it appears that he 
brought with him several founders, for the purpose 
of manufacturing arms in distant countries. In his 
negotiations with Coje Attar, governor, or wallee, of 
Harmoaz and Bundrabus, Attar corrupted the fol- 
lowers of the Portuguese navigator with brilliant of- 



THEIR HISTORY. 331 

fers of gold, and prevailed upon five seamen, one of 
them a founder, to desert. This founder, by the di- 
rection of the governor, cast, between the years 
1507 and 1509, at Harmoaz, an island near the en- 
trance of the Persian Gulf, about three leagues from 
Gambaroon (the ancient Dutch name of an import- 
ant port in Arabia), in the 915th and 917th Al Ha- 
gari, or Mohammedan year, a number of cannons 
for Coje Attar, which, together with some brass can- 
nons taken from Albuquerque, were taken posses- 
sion of by Aimed, sultan of Muscat, previous to the 
reign of Syed Syed Bin Soultan. Syed afterward 
murdered his uncle Aimed, and became the ruler of 
Muscat. Extending his conquests from the island 
of Socotara, he fought several battles with these can- 
nons on the eastern coast of Arabia, took possession 
of Mombas, Pembo, and Zanzibar, and eventually 
extended his dominion as far south as Mozambique. 
Such is an outline of the probable history of these 
guns. 

The lower or northern part of the town of N'Goo- 
ga consists almost exclusively of huts and shanties, 
rudely constructed of bamboo and cocoa-nut leaves, 
and is occupied chiefly by the slaves and poorer 
classes. The southern part is occupied by wealthy 
Banyan, Hindoo, and Muscat merchants. Many 
of these merchants have acquired splendid fortunes 
in the ivory and gum-copal trade, and in commercial 
transactions with agents in the East Indies. So 
great is their passion for money, that they seldom re- 



332 TOWN of n'googa. 

turn to their native country while they can amass 
wealth more rapidly elsewhere; and they are now 
building large and commodious residences in Zanzi- 
bar. The principal part of N'Googa, however, is at 
best but the ruin of a town. Like the Peruvian 
cities lately discovered, it is a relic of the past ; but 
there is nothing in its clumsy architectural remains 
to prove that it was ever inhabited by an enlightened 
race of men, or had at any time splendid edifices or 
institutions of learning. The Portuguese did not im- 
prove it while it was in their possession ; nor are the 
Arabs of Oman a race of people to build fine cities. 
The present Arabian population of Zanzibar, the 
subjects of Syed Syed Bin Soultan, differ little from 
their forefathers in their peculiarities of manner, 
habits, or religion ; and it is but a natural presump- 
tion that they have not reformed in point of indo- 
lence. 

It has been estimated by resident merchants, whose 
opportunities of acquiring an accurate knowledge of 
the town and its resources entitle their opinion to 
respect, that the entire population within the limits 
of the town is between fifty and sixty thousand souls. 
This, from the size of the town, would at first appear 
greatly exaggerated ; but when we reflect that some 
of the wealthy Arabs have over a thousand slaves, 
who are crowded into small huts, and that there are 
as many houses on one acre of ground as there are 
in America on six, the estimate does not appear un- 
reasonable ; the population of the whole island is 
about a hundred and fifty thousand. 



ARAB LOAFERS. 333 

The mosques, of which there are eight or ten in 
the town, are ordinary stone buildings, plastered and 
whitewashed. With their small barred windows and 
dingy walls (the original whitewash being covered 
with slime and filth), they look more like jails than 
temples of devotion. Their doors are public loafing 
places for all the idlers in town. The Arabs are 
second to no people in the world in the art of loafing. 
A worthless scoundrel, who has gambled away all 
his property, and who is too lazy to work, will saun- 
ter up to the mosque with the air of a sultan, and 
join in the topic of discussion with as much non- 
chalance as if he were the millionaire of the place. 
He can swindle, at the same time, with the ease and 
grace of an accomplished London sharper. Poor, 
indeed, is the Arab who can not appear with a flashy 
turban, a gold-mounted jamhea, and a jeweled sword; 
and dull is he who can not live by his wits. In all 
their poverty, these people have a haughty air. 
There is nothing like sprightliness or vivacity about 
them, and never a want of self-confidence. Their 
motions are slow, measured, and dignified. Nothing 
startles, nothing astonishes them. They pride them- 
selves, like the North American Indians, on their 
power of concealing every emotion, good and bad. 
A physiognomist would be puzzled to read any thing 
in their stolid features. In this respect, Miss Par- 
doe's admirable description of the Turks would ap- 
ply quite as appropriately to them ; and, indeed, I 
often fancied myself, when in the midst of a group 



334 the imaum's harem. 

of these proud vagabonds, breathing the atmosphere 
of the " City of the Sultan." 

The imaum's harem, to which I have already 
briefly alluded, is a large, plain edifice, with a red tile 
roof, and whitewashed walls. From the bay, where 
the most favorable view of it is to be had, it might 
easily be mistaken for a large mercantile establish- 
ment. The back part of it, or that part which faces 
the town, is perfectly plain, without even a window. 
A row of windows, occasionally ornamented with 
the greasy faces of the sultan's concubines, fronts the 
bay. 

I had heard, previous to my visit to Zanzibar, 
that this harem contained some beautiful women 
As I could never find any white person who had 
been within its sacred precincts, I am led to doubt 
the truth of this assertion from my own limited ob- 
servation. There were several Arabian girls peep- 
ing out of the beach windows one morning before 
his highness had arrived from his palace, who were 
pointed out to me as fair specimens. I must admit 
that they were in good condition, being very fat and 
sleek, but, to my taste, they were any thing but beauti- 
ful. From personal observation, on various occa- 
sions after that, I have arrived at the conclusion that 
the " lights" of this harem would be eclipsed by an 
ordinary American quadroon, or even a mulatto girl. 
There are females of this description in New Or- 
leans, who, if placed in a harem, and taught to lisp 
"Alhiundilla robilla andamene malikeo midene" or any 



N 



m 







INHABITANTS OF ZANZIBAR. 335 

other cant phrase from the Koran, would, with the 
addition of a graceful turban and a Persian robe, be 
deemed by some of our enthusiastic travelers houris, 

" Too rich for use; for earth too dear;" 

fit only for the inspired pen of the poet, or the ad- 
miring eyes of Platonic lovers. The disgusting 
sensuality of the sultan's ladies, notwithstanding the 
vigilance of the old eunuchs, destroys all the senti- 
mental twaddle that has ever been penned about 
their spirituality and refinement. 

The inhabitants are of various races, from the light- 
complexioned Hindoo to the darkest African : Ban- 
yans, Parsees, Malays, Bedouin Arabs, Oman Arabs, 
Sowhejians, Africans, &c. 

The Sowhelian language is the most generally 
spoken. This is a corruption of the Arabic with 
the African, partaking of the characteristics of both. 
It derives its name from a mixed race, called Soivhy- 
lese, who were the original settlers of Zanzibar. 

The Sowhelians, of whom a large proportion of 
the population consists, are a gay, light-hearted peo- 
ple, fond of amusement, and little influenced by the 
formal rules of etiquette laid down by their Arab 
brethren. In complexion they closely resemble the 
red Indians of North America. Their features are 
good, though not handsome, being a medium between 
the Arab and the African ; less regular and comely 
than the first, and partaking more of the character- 
istics of the Circassian than the last. A writer of 



336 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. 

considerable celebrity speaks of them as a highly in- 
telligent and 'poetical people. After three months' 
constant intercourse with them, I must say I never 
discovered any thing like intelligence or a poetic 
spirit among them. They are a lively, harmless, 
good-natured race, of a happy disposition, but en- 
tirely ignorant of the world, and few of them ac- 
quainted with letters. Perhaps I should not pro- 
nounce them decidedly an unpoetic people. There 
is always something in the temperament of the East- 
ern people alive to poetic feelings, even in the savage; 
and, from a want of absolute terms, such as belong 
to all cultivated languages, they make great use of 
figures and similes. This figurative style of language 
has, I' imagine, been mistaken, in more than one in- 
stance, for the true spirit of poetry. Politeness 
among the Sowhylese is carried to excess in their 
mode of salutation. It is quite common to hear two 
of them, when they meet, pass the compliments of 
the day in the following high-flown strain : 

Question. Yambo 1 Are you well 1 

Answer. Yambo. I am well. 

Q,. Yambo Saana? Are you very well? 

A. Saana. Very. 

Q,. Cana looloo ? Like pearl ? 

A. Cana. All the same. 

Q. Cana marijan ? Like coral 1 

A. Cana. All the time. 

Q,. Cana f ether 1 Like silver 

A. Cana. All the same. 



A TOUCHING LAMENT. 337 

Q,. Cana tha-hah ? Like gold 1 

A. Cana. All the same. 

Quaharee ! Good-by ! 

Qualiaree ! Good-bj ! 

On meeting they shake hands, after which each 
kisses his own hand. This ceremony they repeat on 
parting. 

The above translation, though literal, does not, 
perhaps, clearly convey their meaning ; but, upon re- 
peated inquiry, I could find no other meaning attach- 
ed to the words, which the natives explain by saying 
that a man is like pearl when he looks clear and 
bright ; like coral when his cheeks are red ; like sil- 
ver and gold when his worldly affairs are all in a 
flourishing condition. These similies are quite com- 
mon among the Sowhylese in all their dialogues. 

Like all barbarous, or even savage nations, they 
frequently chant their words in a species of irregular 
measure, corresponding to the tone of voice in which 
they are uttered ; but it is with few gleams of imag- 
ination. The following is the touching lament of a 
broken-hearted man grieving over the grave of con- 
jugal bliss, and will, no doubt, be peculiarly edifying 
to the ladies : 

" Coona nene ? Coona nene ? 
Meme coopa M'aka 
Manavoo papo, rnai'avoo ak we see 
M'gooam anepa oolene 
Waneenee. Coona nene ? 
Se magoopa, m'aka 
Oothea ! oothea ! oothea !" 
Uu 



338 PALACE OF THE IMAUM. 

This, rendered into English, literally means, 

" What's the matter ? What's the matter ? 
My wife scolds me plenty ; 
She uses stormy talk ; 
She calls me a bad fellow ; 
She says Allah gave her a tongue. 
What's the matter ? I'm afraid ! 
My wife will whip me ! Oh, I'm in trouble ! 
Trouble ! trouble !" 

Syed Syed Bin Soultan Bin Aimed, imaum of 
Muscat, is supreme chief, or sultan, of Zanzibar. 
Syed Sulemin, the former governor of the island, de- 
rives his office from the imaum, and carries on the 
government during the absence of Syed Syed, who 
performs a voyage to Muscat to superintend his do- 
minions there every year. The imaum has, within 
the last five or six years, made Zanzibar his place of 
residence in preference to the sultry heights of Mus- 
cat, generally known as the hottest place in the 
world. His palace is situated about a mile and a 
half below the town, near a river called the Motoney. 
It is an old, but picturesque building, beautifully or- 
namented in the Oriental style, and partially hidden 
in a grove of cinnamon, orange, clove, and mango 
trees. The luxuriant and shady clove trees, the 
fragrant cinnamon, the magnificent mangrove, and 
all the opulence of Eastern vegetation, are peculiarly 
refreshing to the eye and grateful to the senses in 
this tropical climate. A stream of water from the 
Motoney is conducted through the palace, and emp- 
ties into the bay in front. The richly-colored cupo- 



HIS STUD OF HORSES. 339 

las, and the extreme beauty and freshness of the 
groves, give you some idea of an Oriental scene. 

The imaum visits the town twice a week either in 
his pleasure-boat or on horseback. He is justly 
proud of his beautiful stud of Arabian horses (speci- 
mens of which, it will be recollected, he sent as a 
present to the President of the United States* a few 
years since), and of the state and magnificence of his 
retinue. Trained to perfection, and richly caparison- 
ed, the Arabian horse, celebrated as the finest in the 
world, is here seen to great advantage. He has all 
the pride and stateliness of royalty, with the grace 
and ease of the wild horse of the desert. His high- 
ness the imaum rides a spirited charger of the purest 
breed, and, though upward of sixty years of age, sits 
in his saddle with the easy grace of an accomplished 
equestrian. His long, white beai d, and serene grav- 
ity of countenance, give him a truly venerable ap- 
pearance ; and the occasional flash of his fine eye 

* Our form of government prohibits the President of the United 
States from receiving presents from any foreign power; conse- 
quently, as these horses became the property of the government, they 
were at its disposal ; and not being able to preserve them in the " Na- 
tional Institute," Congress passed an act authorizing their sale by 
auction. The following additional item I find in a Washington paper 
of the 23d of August, 1845 : 

" Sale of Arabian Horses. — The two Arabian horses received, as 
a present to Mr. Tyler, by the United States Consul at Zanzibar, 
from the Imaum of Muscat, were sold, pursuant to an act of Con- 
gress, on the 15th. They were light gray, mettled. One, seven 
years old, brought $450, and was purchased by a gentleman from 
Louisiana ; and the other, eight years old, brought but $190, and was 
purchased by Dr. John Baldwin." 



340 COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES OF ZANZIBAR. 

speaks of one who has fought battles and who rules 
nations. The long line of turbaned officers forming 
his retinue are richly and tastefully dressed, and, 
with their flowing costumes and splendid steeds, 
present a royal pageant strikingly picturesque. 

The great advantages which the Island of Zanzi- 
bar has over islands in the Indian Ocean to the 
southward of the equator are not yet sufficiently 
known to be justly appreciated. It is undoubtedly 
the best and most convenient stopping-place for ves- 
sels bound through the Mozambique Channel to the 
Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and India, on this side 
the Cape of Good Hope. The British East India 
Company's vessels formerly procured refreshments, 
on their voyage from England to Bombay and Ma- 
dras, at Johanna. Few merchantmen of any de- 
scription now touch there, owing to the exorbitant 
demands of the sheik for port-charges, and the dis- 
honesty of the natives. It is principally frequented 
by whalers, though not so much so now as it was 
some years ago. The want of a responsible consul- 
ar agent is scarcely counterbalanced by the extreme 
fertility of the island and the cheapness of refresh- 
ments. The Portuguese settlements on the coast, 
in Mozambique, are the worst places, perhaps, be- 
tween the Cape and India to touch at for refresh- 
ments. Exclusive of the unhealthiness of the cli- 
mate, and the degraded character of the Portuguese, 
nothing can be had of any value but stagnant rain- 
water, which, though better than none, is always in- 



ITS GREAT FERTILITY. 341 

jurious to a ship's crew. What little fruit the coun- 
try affords is consumed by the settlers. For some 
of the common necessaries of life they are depend- 
ent upon Majunga and other ports in Madagascar. 
The Seyschelles Islands are too far to the eastward 
for vessels bound up the Red Sea or Persian Gulf. 
In fact, there is no place in the Indian Ocean so con- 
veniently situated for that purpose as the Island of 
Zanzibar. With the exception of Pemba (a small 
island to the northward of Zanzibar, also under the 
dominion of the Imaum of Muscat), it is the most fer- 
tile island on the eastern coast of Africa. Fruit and 
vegetables of the greatest possible variety can be had 
at the town of N'Googa cheaper than at any other 
seaport in the Indian Ocean where it would be at all 
prudent to stop. Horsburg's assertion that the gov- 
ernor " makes a monopoly of the sale of these arti- 
cles," and that " the inhabitants, when permitted, sell 
their productions on more reasonable terms," is not 
now applicable to the island. The late accounts 
given of this island by Ruschenberger, Roberts, Tay- 
lor, and others, are all expressive of surprise at the 
cheapness of fruit and vegetables ! Besides, the 
imaum himself is now at the head of the govern- 
ment, and will not permit or make a monopoly of 
the sale of any of the native products. Prince Syed 
Carlid, one of the imaum's sons, who has jurisdiction 
over the commercial transactions of the natives, has 
no power himself to create a monopoly. It is doubt- 
ful whether even the sultan could do it, so little re- 



342 SLAVE TRADE ABOLISHED. 

spect have the natives for his authority when it con- 
flicts with their interests. At all events, they dis- 
pose of the products of their shambas, or plantation, 
without restraint, at their own prices. No sickness 
need be apprehended, if proper precautions are tak- 
en ; but, at the same time, it would be to the inter- 
est of vessels to remain in port no longer than is ac- 
tually necessary to procure refreshments. It is not 
a climate which can be tampered with. I have 
shown in another chapter the cause of its fatality 
among sea-faring men. I propose in some future 
chapter to offer a few hints in regard to the means 
by which sickness might be avoided. 

The resources of Zanzibar, as a place of trade, 
are now considered of some importance in the com- 
mercial world. So far as relates to the slave trade, 
it may be seen, by reference to the existing treaties 
between the sovereign of Muscat and the British 
and American powers, that it is now confined to na- 
tions which do not come under the denomination of 
" Christian." On the tenth of September, 1822, a 
treaty was entered into by Great Britain with his 
highness the Imaum of Muscat, for the perpetual 
abolition of the slave trade between the dominions 
of his highness and all Christian nations. This 
treaty was recorded and confirmed in a more formal 
manner in August, 1839, by Robert Cogan, Esq., 
plenipotentiary on the part of her majesty, Victoria, 
and Hassan Bin Ibrahim and Mabamet Ali Bin Na- 
sir, on behalf of the imaum. There was also a con- 



COMMERCIAL TREATIES. 343 

vention of commerce entered into at Zanzibar reg- 
ulating the trade between British subjects and the 
subjects of the imaum, granting free intercourse be- 
tween the merchants of both nations, and affording 
them every facility in their commercial pursuits. It 
also limited the duty on British and East India mer- 
chandise, and regulated the collecting of the cus- 
toms. The laws governing residents, and the pow- 
ers of consuls and resident agents, were more strictly 
denned. This treaty was concluded at Zanzibar on 
the 31st of May, 1839, and ratifications were ex- 
changed on the 22d of July, 1840. It had its ori- 
gin, no doubt, in our own treaty of commerce, nego- 
tiated and concluded in the years 1833-34,* which 
gave us many commercial advantages. The neces- 
sity for our treaty had sprung out of the increasing 
importance of the Island of Zanzibar, which charac- 
ter the indomitable energy and enterprise of the Sa- 
lem merchants had given it by the extensive trade 
they had opened with it in exchanging American 
manufactures for gum copal, ivory teeth, ebony, goat- 
skins, hides, &c. 

* The treaty of amity and commerce between his highness the 
Imaum of Muscat and the government of the United States was pre- 
sented and concluded at Muscat by Edmund Roberts, Esq., envoy 
to the courts of Siam and Muscat, on the 21st of September, 1833. 
It went into operation on the 30th of June, 1834. Ratifications were 
exchanged on the 30th of September, 1835. This treaty was trans- 
lated into the Arabic by Syed Bin Calfaun, the sultan's interpreter, 
and present United States consular agent at Muscat. The conven- 
tion of commerce between the imaum and the government of Great 
Britain is similar to our treaty in most of its provisions. 



344 SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. 

The value of a practical education is here duly ap- 
preciated. Schools for the young are numerous. A 
knowledge of the rudiments of arithmetic and the 
art of writing is considered essential in all business 
pursuits. When the pupil can cipher sufficiently 
well to be qualified for the office of cranee, or clerk, 
write the Arabic, Sowhelian, and Hindoo, and read 
the Koran throughout, he has an education which 
fits him for all the pursuits of Oriental life. Many 
of the young men have visited England and Amer- 
ica, where the colleges and seminaries have struck 
them with wonder, and shown them how much they 
have yet to learn. A voyage to Europe or America 
is a matter of pride to them during life, and causes 
them to be looked upon as persons of consequence. 
I was particularly struck with the aristocratic bear- 
ing of Ahamet Bin Hamees, secretary to the imaum, 
who had visited England, and received an excellent 
education under the auspices of some of the nobili- 
ty. He has certainly something to boast of; for, al- 
though as black as the ace of spades (and darkness 
of complexion has its disadvantages as well in Zan- 
zibar as elsewhere), and of low descent, he got him- 
self into notice by his own natural talent and his 
perseverance. He is extremely polite to white peo- 
ple, but looks down upon his own caste with all the 
contempt springing from conscious superiority in ed- 
ucation and intellect. I conversed with him on the 
subject of the patronage he had received in Eng- 
land, and was greatly amused at the sang froid with 



an arab's opinion of the salem ladies. 345 

which he spoke of having, on various occasions, 
dined with the queen, and the tone of familiar free- 
dom with which he alluded to his friends Lord , 

the Duke of , Sir Thomas or Sir John , &c. 

His pronunciation of the English language is pain- 
fully precise, and altogether according to Walker 
and Johnson. When parting with him after my first 
interview, he politely tendered me his card, which 
was neatly printed in English letters, 

" Mr. Ahamet Bin Hamees, 
" Secretary to His Highness the Imaum of Muscat." 

Rajab, a young Arab, whose acquaintance I made 
during my sojourn, had been to Salem, Massachu- 
setts, in a merchantman. Speaking of the houses in 
Salem and Boston, he said, " Oh, very fine ! Big ! 
too big ! Grand ! Zanzibar nothing at all ! Bom- 
bay nothing at all !" He was quite enthusiastic in 
his encomiums on the Salem ladies, whose charms 
he dwelt upon with all the raptures of a young amo- 
roso. " His highness (the sultan) no sabby women 
all de same as Salem ladies ! Skin white, all de 
same as paper ! Teeth like bright pearl ! Hair 
long, fine, too fine ! Eyes ! Bismilla ! when dey look 
at me I feel all ober drunk ; I no sabby nothing !" 

I spent my evenings strolling about town, gather- 
ing up what information I could respecting the man- 
ners and customs of the inhabitants. I was greatly 
indebted, in my inquiries, to two young Americans, 
clerks in the employ of the United States consul, 

X x 



346 INQUISITIVENESS. 

who spoke the Sowhelian language. There are so 
few white residents in the place, and they are so 
familiar to the citizens, that my appearance as a 
temporary resident created quite a sensation. With 
all that curiosity attributed to Yankees, they inquired 
of my friends where I was from, where going, what 
I followed, how I came to Zanzibar, when I was 
going away, &c. No vessel had been in port for 
some time except the Styx, and the consul having 
improved my appearance considerably, they could 
scarcely believe I came out of a whaler, having a 
pious aversion to any craft engaged in the shedding 
of blood, and the business of preserving grease. On 
being informed that I had actually been in a whaler, 
they congratulated me on my release, and heartily 
welcomed to their island the " Manoomagee /" in 
their own figurative language, the " Child of the 
Ocean !" 

As yet, neither the resources nor the physical 
characteristics of Zanzibar have been accurately de- 
scribed. This fact I attribute, not to a want of per- 
ception on the part of those writers who have at- 
tempted to give some idea of the island, but to the 
fact that few, if any of them, have enjoyed the op- 
portunity of acquiring strict knowledge on the sub- 
ject. Officers of American and English vessels of 
war have spent a few days in making hasty re- 
searches, and, after gathering sufficient material from 
their casual and limited observation to cram into a 
general journal, without the slightest opportunity of 






EXAGGERATIONS OF TRAVELERS. 347 

ascertaining whether they are correct in their views 
or not, have published to the world the result of their 
investigations. It is quite natural that these ac- 
counts, distorted and exaggerated as they are by the 
enthusiastic imagination of the writers, should be 
very erroneous. The prevailing misrepresentations 
respecting this island, however, have not been alto- 
gether promulgated by modern writers. In the trans- 
lation of the old Portuguese work, to which reference 
has already been made, descriptive of the voyages 
of Vasco de Gama, Albuquerque, and other naviga- 
tors, there is an account of a grand victory achieved 
by the Portuguese over the natives of this island. 
The description of this achievement is quite as exag- 
gerated as Marco Polo's narrative of the magnificent 
court of Kubla Khan. Impossibilities are advanced 
as facts, redounding to the everlasting glory of the 
Portuguese. We are told in one passage that the 
natives, frantic with fear, and panic-stricken at the 
bravery of the Portuguese, fled in a body to the 
mountains 1 . Now, this was certainly one of the 
most extraordinary feats on record ; especially when 
we take into consideration that there is not a mount- 
ain, and scarcely a hill of any considerable height on 
the whole island ! Kizimbane, the site of the sul- 
tan's shamba, is, I believe, the highest part of Zanzi- 
bar; and no effort of the imagination can make any 
thing but a hill of it. From the ocean, the entire 
island has the appearance of a dead level ; and, in- 
deed, so low is it, that the slight undulations on its 



348 SPEEDY PUNISHMENT. 

surface can scarcely be seen at the distance of a few 
leagues. The unhealthiness of the climate is owing, 
in a great measure, to its flat surface, which retains 
the rain, and thus abounds in marshes. In a tropi- 
cal climate, from the extreme luxuriance of the vege- 
tation, these marshy flats are peculiarly destructive 
to the health. The exhalations and noxious vapors 
arising from them are fatal to European constitu- 
tions. 

The principle of law here is " an eye for an eye, 
and a tooth for a tooth." Mr. Fabeus told me of 
several instances which had come under his observa- 
tion of prompt and despotic punishment. 

A native from the coast stabbed a subject of the 
sultan. He was carried to the public bazar, and 
the citizens were summoned to witness his execu- 
tion. The sultan in person was present with his 
guard of soldiers. The prisoner was bound hand and 
foot, and thrown upon his back. At a given signal, 
the executioner, a soldier, armed with a long knife, 
approached him, and, slowly removing his scarf, 
placed the point of the knife against his breast. Not 
a word was spoken ; all was done silently and quiet- 
ly. The prisoner calmly gazed in the face of his 
executioner, without betraying the least symptom of 
fear. Another signal was given, and the soldier, 
kneeling upon his breast, slowly and deliberately 
thrust the knife into his heart. A convulsive shud- 
der passed through the frame of the wretched mur- 
derer ; the crimson blood spouted from his wound ; 



AN INCORRIGIBLE THIEF. 349 

and, when they lifted him up to bear him away, he 
was dead ! The body was taken to the receptacle for 
executed criminals (a sterile part of the shore, about 
two miles to the southward of the town), and there 
thrown upon the rocks to be devoured by wild dogs 
and birds of prey. 

I saw myself one of the victims of the sultan's 
barbarity. It was a very aggravated case on both 
sides ; but I hardly think it justified so much cruelty. 
A poor wretch, horribly maimed, had frequently so- 
licited alms from me in the streets. He had neither 
hands nor feet, and was entirely naked. I inquired 
of Hassan Ben Ibrahim what had mutilated him; and 
learned that the object of my pity was an incorrigible 
thief, who, for the first offense, had his middle fingers 
cut off; for the next, his left hand. The desire to 
appropriate to his own use the property of others 
was not yet satiated. He committed theft again, and 
his right hand was cut off. His propensity for steal- 
ing was stronger than his fear of punishment ; and, 
before the wounds had healed, he stole again and 
again, till he lost both his feet. It was in that miser- 
able condition I saw him. Hassan said he had no 
doubt the fellow would steal till both his arms and 
legs were cut off. 

Although this was the only man I saw who had 
lost his hands and feet, I met every day persons who 
had their fingers, toes, hands, or ears cut off for petty 
crimes. 

It has become fashionable in the United States to 



350 CHARACTER OF THE IMAUM. 

speak of the Imaum of Muscat in the most extrava- 
gant terms of admiration, as a hero, a patriot, a law- 
giver, and a miracle of honor, humanity, and gener- 
osity. During my stay at Zanzibar I had, perhaps, 
a better opportunity of becoming acquainted with his 
real character than most of the visitors to that island 
who had preceded me ; and my observation leads me 
to believe that these opinions are too hastily formed. 
The sultan's principles of honor, honesty, and hu- 
manity may be in accordance with the ideas of cap- 
tains and officers, and quite creditable to an Arab ; 
but they will hardly accord with the customs of civ- 
ilized nations. 

A subject of his highness, belonging to Mombas, 
sold a " dow" (what we would call a fishing-smack.) 
to another subject living at Zanzibar, who, having 
taken possession of the property, refused or evaded 
payment. The owner of the dow stated his griev- 
ance to the sultan. The defaulter was taken up, the 
dow taken from him and sold at auction, and the 
proceeds safely deposited in his highness's coffers. 
The man to whom the money rightfully belonged 
did not receive a cent. He made application to an 
English merchant residing at Zanzibar, with the 
hope of obtaining redress from the British govern- 
ment; but the merchant refused to interfere in the 
matter. 

Mohammed Abdelkada, one of the sultan's chief 
officers, had a fine plantation in the neighborhood 
of his highness's palace at Montoney. He had ac- 



HIS POWER GREATLY EXAGGERATED. 351 

quired it after years of industry, and lived upon it 
with his family. The sultan thought it would make 
an excellent addition to his shamba, and without 
ceremony ejected Mohammed, and made him no 
recompense whatever. Various other instances have 
occurred to show that he is no respecter of private 
property. He cares very little about the rights of 
his subjects, if they interfere with his own interests. 

His power has been greatly magnified. It is 
stated by Dr. Ruschenberger that he has control over 
all the ports in East Africa, the coast of Arabia, and 
Abyssinia. Where this information was obtained I 
am unable to say ; perhaps it was from the sultan, or 
Hassan Ben Ibrahim. This much is certain, that 
the statement is altogether fallacious. Captain Ham- 
ilton, who has traveled over every part of the sultan's 
dominions, and who has spent twenty years of his 
life in the service of the British government as a 
political agent, assured me that the sultan could not 
name a port or island, except Muscat, Socotara, Zan- 
zibar, Pemba, Mombas, and perhaps a few places of 
minor consequence on the coast, that he could call 
his own. In Arabia his power is only acknowledged 
from Kalhaut to Ras al Head. Even at Ras al 
Head, almost within gunshot of Muscat, his influence 
is very slight. 

Still, for an Arab chief, his dominion is consider- 
able, and altogether peculiar. Other barbarian po- 
tentates of the Arabian and African coasts exercise 
their authority in some single section of the desert, 



352 EXTENT OF THE IMAUm's DOMINION. 

larger or smaller; places contiguous or separate, at 
small distances. The imaum, occupying originally 
the port of Muscat, so situated between Arabia and 
India as to fall within the course of European inter- 
course, has gradually acquired some European ideas; 
and possessing himself of a few vessels, has extend- 
ed his power down the coast of Africa to points very 
distant from each other. Muscat lies on the coast 
of that part of the Indian Ocean called the Arabian 
Sea, not more than two hundred miles from the Per- 
sian Gulf. Socotara is an island of some importance, 
eight or nine hundred miles south, near the coast of 
Africa, and on the direct route from the Red Sea to 
Ceylon ; and from this to the port of Mombas, and 
the islands of Pemba and Zanzibar, it is not less than 
fifteen to seventeen hundred miles southward, toward 
Madagascar and the Cape of Good Hope. 

The diplomatic intercourse between the English 
and American governments and his sultanic highness 
has been of a character sufficiently curious. 

I learned from Captain Hamilton that among the 
various costly presents sent to the Sultan of Muscat 
from England was a splendid yacht, called the Prince 
Regent. It was built and fitted by order of George 
the Fourth. The basso-relievo work in the cabin 
did not suit his highness, and he took umbrage at it. 
The king offered to repair or alter it in any manner 
that the sultan might suggest. Syed Syed, however, 
would not accept it under any other terms than that 
he should be allowed to dispose of it as he pleased. 



PRESENTS FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. 353 

Permission being granted him, he sold the yacht to 
the residency at Bombay, and, while laughing in his 
sleeve at the simplicity of his English friend, deposit- 
ed the gold in his coffers. 

A magnificent set of silver plate was also sent out 
from England to his highness. After keeping them 
a sufficient length of time to elude suspicion, the sul- 
tan disposed of them to his neighbors and officers. 
Some, who were able to purchase them, got the sil- 
ver spoons; others, the plate; and an old Arab in 
Muscat was fortunate enough to obtain possession 
of one of the immense head-dishes, which he now 
uses for his paddee. 

Queen Victoria sent him a splendid carriage, and 
with it a letter, stating that, as his highness would per- 
ceive, it was a very superior article, constructed pre- 
cisely on the model of her own carriage of state ; 
and she had no doubt his highness would appreciate 
it all the better, when she informed him that it was 
constructed by her own artisan, and was peculiarly 
adapted, in ease of motion, to the smooth and beauti- 
ful roads of Zanzibar. She hoped his highness's 
footmen and drivers would display it to the best ad- 
vantage, and she enjoyed the belief that his highness 
would ride out often in his delightful parks. The 
whips, harness, cushions, trimmings, &c, were of the 
finest workmanship and most costly material. The 
whole affair was built at the expense of $9000. 
When the sultan received this present he was in 
raptures ; but he very soon had the richest of the 

Yy 



354 PRESENTS FROM THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. 

ornaments taken off to convert into money. Her 
majesty's knowledge of the dominioDS of his highness 
being altogether drawn from works of an imaginative 
character, she was of course quite excusable for not 
knowing that there is no such thing as a carriage 
road in the jungles of Zanzibar, or on the sun- 
burned heights of Muscat. The idea of presenting 
a splendid carriage to the sultan, when he could make 
no earthly use of it as it was designed to be used, 
was about as ridiculous as addressing him in verse. 
I saw this carriage myself; and it grieved me to think 
now pearls were thrown before swine. It is now 
boxed up, after having been defaced by the na- 
tives, the beautiful ornamental work all destroyed, 
and the whole affair rendered unfit for use, even if 
there were roads. The moths and vermin have de- 
stroyed all the embroidery and inside trimmings, and 
the wood-work is ruined by worms. As it stands 
now, it is not worth fifty dollars. 

The articles presented to the sultan by the govern- 
ment of the United States fared no better. He re- 
ceived by the Peacock, as is stated by Ruschenber- 
ger, a sword and altagar with gold scabbards and 
mountings, Tanner's Map of the United States, a set 
of American coins, several rifles, a number of cut- 
glass lamps, a quantity of American Nankin, known 
as Forsyth's Nankin, &c. Now, the merchants who 
have resided at Zanzibar for years, and who know 
exactly every thing said and done by the sultan in 
relation to our government, say that his highness 



DISHONORABLE CONDUCT OF THE SULTAN. 355 

treated these gifts with perfect contempt, however 
well pleased he may have expressed himself to the 
commander and officers of the Peacock. The in- 
trinsic value of a present, not the friendly feelings 
with which it is given, has its influence with him. It 
was certainly a very small business to send a set of 
trifles of this kind to a foreign sovereign ; but it was 
not very honorable in the sultan to sell the greater 
part of them to his subjects, for it is well known in 
Zanzibar he did so. 

I was witness myself to a transaction of this kind- 
It is very generally known that a splendid boat, worth 
$3000, was sent out to the sultan by our govern- 
ment. His highness, with his suite of officers, met 
with an accident the day it was first tried at Zanzi- 
bar. Owing to the awkwardness of the boatmen, it 
upset in the bay, and completely ducked the royal 
party. The sultan, attaching the blame to the boat 
rather than to the awkwardness of the men, had it 
carried on board his frigate, the Sha-Halm, where it 
remained neglected and unused till the trimmings 
were totally ruined, and the fine mountings stolen or 
sold by the sultan's officers. His highness offered it 
as a present to the American consul, who of course 
was bound to decline the gift. He then tried to sell 
it to some of his subjects, but they preferred their 
native craft. Finally, he made a bargain with the 
British consul (which I witnessed personally) to this 
.effect : The consul had a common six-oared boat, 
worth about two hundred dollars, which the sultan 



356 FATE OF THE AMERICAN PLEASURE BOAT. 

received in exchange for his three thousand dollar 
p7*esent. By his oath of office, the British consul is 
bound neither to transact business on his own ac- 
count with the sultan, nor to receive any present or 
presents. The difficulty was thus obviated on both 
sides : The sultan wished to get rid of his fine boat, 
because through awkwardness it had once been up- 
set; and the British consul quieted his own con- 
science, in violating the spirit of his obligations to 
his government, by receiving it as a mere matter of 
exchange — an accommodation which politeness re- 
quired him to extend to the sultan ! So much for 
making presents to an Arab potentate. 

I would suggest, in consideration of these facts, 
that, when it is conceived this government is indebt- 
ed to the Sultan of Muscat, instead of sending him 
flimsy toys, trumpery, enameled and silver-mounted 
boats, &c, the proper course would be to present him 
with a few mulatto ladies for his harem, or send over 
for his use some white slaves out of the whale fishery 
or navy. In case he should object to these, it would 
be but honest to hand him over the cash, which, af- 
ter all, is the most acceptable commodity that can be 
presented to him. 



ARABIAN TOWNS. 357 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Arabian Towns. — Topography of N'Googa. — Fatal Effects of the Cli- 
mate. — Unchristian Treatment of a Scotch Seaman. — Wretched 
Condition of the Natives. — Barbarous Treatment of Sailors. — The 
Sultan's Generosity toward the American People. — Directions for 
the Preservation of Health. 

Zanzibar, July, 1843. 

A very remarkable peculiarity in all Arabian 
towns is the narrowness of the streets. Those of 
Henzooanee, the capital of Johanna, are not more 
than five or six feet wide ; and at Muscat, where it 
might naturally be supposed the intense heat of the 
climate would render room a matter of great im- 
portance, they seldom exceed ten feet in width. 
Majunga, on the margin of Bembatooka Bay, Mad- 
agascar, though not built by the Arabs, partakes 
strongly of this characteristic. The houses, which 
are chiefly composed of bamboo, thatched with pal- 
metto-leaves, are huddled so closely together as to 
leave scarcely room to pass between them. This is 
where the population is dense. Immediately along 
the beach they are scattering, and built without any 
regard to order or regularity. Aden resembles very 
closely the town of N'Googa, being for the most 
part composed of bamboo huts, interspersed with 
mosques and other stone buildings. Mocha has 
many stone houses in it of considerable size, but the 



358 DEGRADED CONDITION OF THE NATIVES. 

streets are so narrow and filthy as to render it a very 
undesirable place of residence for Europeans or 
Americans. Captain Webb, of Salem, who spent 
some time there in the capacity of a mercantile 
agent, gave me a very unfavorable description of 
the town. The natives he described as an indolent, 
superstitious, and degraded race, extremely treacher- 
ous, and possessing no taste whatever for the refine- 
ments of civilized life. In their manner of living 
they are little better than mere brutes ; and so hos- 
tile are they to any invasions upon their established 
customs, that they openly oppose every attempt to 
improve their moral and social condition. The cli- 
mate is insufferably warm. At times the showers 
of red sand which come sweeping down from the 
deserts are suffocating, and the only means of avoid- 
ing their baneful effects are refuge and close con- 
finement in the houses. Momlas, as described by 
Boteler, Owens, and others connected with the sur- 
veying expedition under the auspices of the British 
Admiralty, differs in no respect from the generality 
of Arabian towns. The houses are built of stone, 
bamboo, and the leaves of the coaco-nut tree ; and 
the streets barely admit of two persons walking 
abreast. The same may be said of Brava, Q,uilau, 
Tangate, and, in fact, all the Arabian towns on this 
side of the African and Asiatic continents. 

N'Googa extends about a mile along the beach, 
and is situated in a bend formed by two points of 
the island, distant from each other about two leagues. 



SITUATION OF n'gOOGA. 359 

The bay derives its chief safety from its situation 
being that side of the island, which is protected from 
heavy gales from the west by the coast of Africa, 
from the east by the entire stretch of land embraced 
between the northern and southern points, and by 
the small islands of Pemba and a small group near 
Ras Kizimbas, which protect it from strong northern 
and southern gales. The bay itself, being very open, 
would otherwise afford but an indifferent protection 
to the shipping. It is only on the changes of the 
monsoons that Zanzibar is visited at all by gales of 
any consequence. During the remainder of the 
year a steady breeze prevails, the weather is regular, 
and the wind seldom shifts more than two or three 
points of the compass. There are several small isl- 
ands at the outer extremity of the bay, which pre- 
vent the strong currents of air arising in the interior 
of Zanzibar, and passing from that part of the con- 
tinent over the space of water that intervenes, from 
acquiring material force before reaching the shipping 
opposite the town. In this way Nature has made 
up the deficiencies, which, if situated as Johanna, 
the Seyschelles Islands, Mauritius, or Bourbon are, 
unprotected by a continent, would render Zanzibar 
a very unsafe place of resort. There is no conven- 
ient or secure harbor on the eastern side of the isl- 
and; and, without considering this fact, it would 
seem rather singular that the town should have been 
located at a point so difficult of access at certain pe- 
riods of the year. A strong northerly current, com- 



360 divisions of n'googa. 

bined with a northeastern monsoon, frequently com- 
pels vessels to put to sea after many attempts to haul 
up from the southward; and the only way of reach- 
ing the town in such cases is to make a long tack 
to the eastward, and come in to the northward of 
Pemba, there being no safe passage for vessels be- 
tween Zanzibar and Pemba by which the interven- 
ing distance might be cut off. It requires skill and 
care to drop down through the channel formed by 
these two islands and the main-land, owing to the 
number of bars and small islands which obstruct its 
navigation. 

N'Googa is divided into several sections, inhabited 
mainly by distinct classes. The name of each sec- 
tion denotes some peculiarity in the inhabitants or 
the articles of trade. A considerable portion of the 
town to the south is called Boo-boo-boo, from a san- 
guinary battle which was once fought there by two 
factions of the natives. The Soco-Mohogo derives 
its name from the fact that it is the principle place 
for the traffic of mohogo, or cassada root. Of the 
other sections, to each of which is attached some 
meaning indicative of its character, the most import- 
ant are Melinda, Shonganee, Bunganee, Guzzeega, 
and Hindostan. Melinda is the northern part of the 
town, containing a large portion of the Sowhelian 
and African population, and consists chiefly of huts. 
Shonganee is a section in the rear, inhabited by 
Arabs and their slaves. Bunganee is situated on the 
beach to the southward, and embraces the residence 



POPULATION. 361 

of the English consul, Captain Webb, Mr. Norsun- 
thy, the store-house of the American consul, and oth- 
er stone buildings of very respectable magnitude. 
The population is mixed, consisting of Parsees, 
Arabs, and Sowhelese. Guzzeega is the back part 
of the town to the north, and is inhabited by Comoro 
Arabs, natives of Madagascar, Delagoans, and vari- 
ous classes of the poor population of Zanzibar. 
Hindostan is about midway between the northern 
and southern extremities of the town, some tw r o or 
three hundred yards back from the range of buildings 
on the beach, and is by far the most respectable part 
of N'Googa. Several of the streets are occupied 
by industrious Hindoo merchants, or, as they are 
called in Zanzibar by way of contradistinction from 
the Banyans, Indmen. They have numerous shops, 
with goods and wares exposed for sale, such as 
Persian rugs, Madras cloths, combs, beads, queens- 
Ware, spoons, knives, coffee, spices, and every thing 
required by the mass of the citizens. The Banyans 
occupy separate streets, and are large dealers in gum 
copal, ivory teeth, honey, sugar, and other articles of 
commerce. As citizens, they are very industrious 
and useful, compared with other Oriental tribes. 

To the narrowness of the streets, and the vitiated 
state of the atmosphere from the want of a free cir- 
culation, is to be attributed, in a great measure, the 
frightful extent to which fevers prevail in this place. 
In the interior of the island, the wonderful density 
of the vegetation is a prolific source of disease. 

Zz 



362 FATAL EFFECTS OF THE CLIMATE. 

Take the climate generally, its deleterious effects are 
much more fatal than the few white residents in Zan- 
zibar will admit. Short as my stay has been, I have 
witnessed many melancholy proofs of its dreadful 
fatality. In some of the preceding pages I have 
given an account of the shipwreck of the brig Bogota, 

of New Bedford, commanded by Captain F , 

which occurred on a coral reef near the Island of 
Monfia. The captain, with three or four hands, 
brought the vessel, with its damaged cargo, into the 
port of Zanzibar. Ten of the crew, under the 
command of the chief mate, abandoned her on the 
reef, and made their escape, with the whale boats 
and several nautical instruments, to the coast. It 
was more than ten days after the arrival of the Bo- 
gota before we heard from them, and the natural con- 
clusion was that they had all been massacred by the 
natives. About the 5th of June, however, a dow 
came in containing eight of the crew and the mate, 
one of their number having died on the coast. 
They had landed in several places near Monfia, but 
were so barbarously treated by the natives that they 
were compelled to keep off shore. In this way they 
coasted down for three or four days, till they arrived 
at a settlement where there happened to be two Ban- 
yans, agents for Jeram Bin Seeva, who kindly pro- 
vided them with a dow to reach Zanzibar. Six of 
them were prostrated with fever, and the remaining 
two were quite emaciated. Within a week or two 
the whole of the Bogota's crew — the stout and hearty 



PREVALENCE OF FEVERS. 363 

as well as the sick — with the exception of one who 
had come from the coast, and two who had assisted 
in getting the vessel into port, were buried on the lit- 
tle island in the bay ! Day after day I saw these 
brave fellows struggle in the agonies of death. A 
gasp, a convulsive shudder, a hurried word of remem- 
brance to those at home, and all was over — their 
race was run. Their bodies were sewn up in a 
coarse shroud of cotton cloth, and carried over to 
the receptable for foreigners, where they were hasti- 
ly thrown into a sand-hole, and covered. I had 
seen these unfortunate men but a few months be- 
fore at Johanna, in all the strength and vigor of 
manhood. 

Scarcely an hour in the day passes that I do not 
hear the wild, mournful funeral wail of the natives. 
Of the white residents who have become acclimated, 
about two thirds are laboring under slow fevers, 
which gradually consume their vitals. A boat's crew 
of six men, who deserted from a whaler at Johanna, 
and arrived here in perfect health about a week ago, 
are prostrated to a man. The Hindoos, Banyans, 
and Parsees, though accustomed to a warm climate, 
are carried off in great numbers. Out of fifty who 
take up their residence in Zanzibar, not more than 
twenty live to return to their native country ; and 
yet it is stated by writers who have visited the isl- 
and that it is by no means an unhealthy place. At 
this time the S.W. monsoon prevails, and it is con- 
sidered the healthiest part of the year. I certainly 



364 INSTANCE OF FATALITY OF CLIMATE. 

can not regard a climate as healthy, when, at such a 
favorable season of the year, out of thirty or forty 
white persons, transient visitors and residents, more 
than half of them were carried off by fevers within 
a few weeks, and not more than eight or ten free of 
fever. It is certain death to a white person to sleep 
a single night in the open air, or even under the shel- 
ter of a bamboo house at one of the shambas, or in- 
terior plantations. This has been tested by sad ex- 
perience. How many vessels have lost the best por- 
tion of their crews by suffering them to sleep a sin- 
gle night on shore it is impossible to compute, but 
the number is enormous. 

A melancholy instance of the fatality of the cli- 
mate is deeply engraved upon my memory. An 
American whaler had hauled into port to repair her 
keel, which had sustained some damage on a coral 
reef off the southern point of Johanna. She was 
stranded on the beach opposite the English consul's 
during the first spring-tide, and the men were obliged 
to turn out in the night to work upon her. One of 
the crew, a Scotchman, was kicked by the captain 
for not obeying the call with sufficient promptness. 
The same night, or the next, this man, with two of 
his shipmates, who had been severely treated during 
the voyage, escaped from the vessel, and concealed 
themselves in the town. In a few days the two last 
mentioned returned to duty. After the vessel sailed 
the Scotchman came from his hiding-place. Day 
after day I saw him wandering about the streets sick 



BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A SCOTCH SAILOR. 365 

and destitute, without the power to relieve him. Far 
from feeling any sympathy for him, the white traders 
turned him from their doors with threats of imprison- 
ment in the fort. The natives, fearing the displeas- 
ure of the saltan if they did not follow the humane 
example of the whites, kicked him out of their houses; 
and for more than two weeks he had neither shelter 
nor medical aid, nor, as far as I could learn, any food, 
except what he could beg from the female slaves 
when their masters were absent, or occasionally a 

scrap of bread from Captain F 's men, who had 

been wrecked, and were themselves in great distress. 
My own situation was so precarious that it was only 
by stealth I dared to speak to him ; for I knew the 
penalty of being caught aiding or befriending a de- 
serter; nor was it in my power to relieve his distress, 
even if this were not the case. Early one morning 
I heard that a man was found dead on the beach, 
and that he still lay there. I went down, and was 
shocked to see the body of the poor Scotchman 
stretched upon the sand, with his face down, and his 
eyes and nostrils covered with sand. A more heart- 
rending sight I never witnessed. Such a death ! far 
away from his native land, with no kind mother's 
hand to press his fevered brow, nor sister to pass the 
cup to his burning lips ; no brother to whisper words 
of encouragement ; no 

" Silent tears to weep, 
And patient smiles to wear through suffering's hours, 
And sumless riches from affection's deep," 



366 MOHAMMEDAN ESTIMATE OF CHRISTIANS. 

to rob death of its horrors, and soothe his last hours. 
The tide had swept up partially over him, and his 
light hair was matted with sea-weeds and water. 
His muscles were frightfully distorted, as if in all the 
agonies of a miserable death. A crowd of natives 
stood around the body, jeering at the barbarity of 
Christians. I did not understand sufficient of the 
language to gather the meaning of all they said; but 
Mr. Fabeus, the consul's clerk, kindly acted as inter- 
preter, and from him I learned that the general in- 
quiry was: "Is this the way Christians do in your 
country ? When a man does wrong, do they suffer 
him to die in the streets 1 Do they drive him from 
their own doors to beg from people of another caste ? 
And when he dies, do they pitch him into the sand, 
as the white people do here, and say no prayer over 
him 1 Better be Mohammedan than Christian, if 
Christians do so. You say yours is the only good 
and true religion. Where is the good 1 We see all 
bad. Mohammed teaches us to be good to other 
men of our caste ; you do evil. Better have no re- 
ligion at all, if it teach you to do evil. First you 
treat men of your own caste like dogs, let them die 
like dogs, and then bury them like dogs. When you 
die, where will you go V' This was unanswerable. 
It is perfectly useless to tell Mohammedans that in 
America these disgraceful proceedings are not quite 
so common. They naturally believe what they see, 
and form their opinions from it, in preference to giv- 
ing credence to what they are told. 



ROBBING THE DEAD. 367 

The unfortunate sailor, after such a miserable 
death, might at least have been decently buried ; for 
it is not an uncommon feature in civilization to be 
very kind when it is too late to benefit the object. 
But how was this poor fellow buried 1 After a com- 
fortable breakfast, the whites tumbled him into a 
brig's launch, and had him taken over to a little isl- 
and in the bay by a set of half-naked slaves, with- 
out a soul to see him properly laid in the ground ; 
and God knows whether they buried him at all or 
not. Of one thing I am certain, and can prove it by 
the captain who lent the launch, that they robbed the 
body of the few rags that covered it ! If this be in- 
troducing civilization into savage lands, I trust I 
shall remain uncivilized all the days of my life ; for I 
protest against being considered one of that class 
who could, while professing Christianity, shamefully 
neglect a fellow-creature while living, and treat him 
as a brute when dead. 

With sickness and death staring me in the face 
wherever I went, and the consciousness of having a 
constitution less strong than any of those whom I 
had seen carried off by fever, it was not strange that 
I should feel depressed in mind. The fate of those 
who had fallen victims to this dreadful disease ; the 
prospect of being the next to be buried on a desert 
island,* ten thousand miles from home, a stranger, 

* The Mohammedans will not suffer white people to be buried on 
the Island of Zanzibar. All who die in port are canied over to a lit- 
tle sand island in the bay. 



368 



GLOOMY PROSPECTS. 



and uncared for, threw a gloom over my spirits that 
at times bordered on despair. 

The fact that the entire crew of the Bogota, the 
brig which had been wrecked near Monfia, and the 
three men who had deserted from the Styx, the boat's 
crew from Johanna, and all who had been more than 
two weeks ashore, had been stricken down with the 
fever, left me but little hope of escape ; and I knew 
too well the horrors of death in a place where a man 
who has had the misfortune to be a common sea- 
farer is considered no better, living or dead, than a 
dog ! 

There are few means of beguiling one's time in 
Zanzibar. From nine o'clock in the mornhig till 
four or five in the evening the heat of the sun is in- 
tense. Exposure to its rays is fatal. Consequently, 
all that time must be spent in the house. Those 
ceremonies and peculiarities of character and cos- 
tume, which at first interest a stranger, soon become 
monotonous. The streets are too narrow and dirty 
to be pleasant places of resort ; the bazar is generally 
crowded with Sowhelian slaves and their sluggish 
Arab masters, trading, quarreling, or gambling; the 
beach, from Bunganee to Melinda, is a place of pub- 
lic deposit for all the filth of the town, and is often 
strewn with the dead bodies of slaves in the last stage 
of corruption. Go where you will within the limits 
of the town, and a sickening stench from decayed 
vegetable and animal matter, rendered peculiarly of- 
fensive from the intense heat of the climate, fills the 



DISGUSTING SIGHTS. 369 

atmosphere. The gaunt forms of men rotting with 
fever, leprosy, and ulcers, are seen staggering from 
street to street, begging a morsel of food to prolong 
their sufferings; slaves crawling about on their knees 
and hands, in the condition, and bearing the appear- 
ance, of brutes ; half-naked skeletons tottering about 
with sunken eyes, maimed by the cruelty of their 
owners, and unsightly from disease. 

The most disgusting part of the town is Banyan- 
street, where the Banyans chiefly reside. From day- 
light in the morning till breakfast-time the Banyans 
may be seen squatted down at their doors, with their 
long, black pigtails streaming over their shoulders, 
and their clothes wrapped around them in a slovenly 
manner, busily engaged brushing their teeth with 
pieces of wood, which they dip in their snuffboxes, 
and make use of as brushes. The whole street is a 
complete puddle of saliva, and, of course, is very of- 
fensive. As there are no canoes convenient, it be- 
hoves the passer-by to keep in soundings, or, like a 
fly in a glue-pot, he may find swimming rather a vio- 
lent exercise in so substantial an element. Although 
remarkably clean in their persons, the Banyans are 
an extremely disgusting people in some of their cus- 
toms. 

No doubt the indolent habits of the natives, their 
filthiness of person, their sensual indulgences, and 
the piles of decayed vegetable matter in the streets, 
tend as much to the production of disease as the 
climate. That disease prevails, however, and to a 
A A A 



370 EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON FOREIGNERS. 

fearful extent, admits of no question ; but from the 
very nature of the country, low, flat, abounding in 
marshes, within a few leagues of the deadly coast of 
Africa, and under a scorching tropical sun, it could 
not be otherwise than unhealthy. 

Foreigners have resided at Zanzibar for years 
without experiencing much apparent inconvenience, 
after becoming acclimated ; yet this has been rather 
the result of increased care than the good effects of 
the climate. Every white person with whom I be- 
came acquainted while there had suffered attacks of 
the fever, which required much care, and rendered 
him more susceptible of fevers, from exposure to the 
sun, or from cold, than he originally was. It is a 
singular fact, that I never knew a man who would 
acknowledge a sickly climate affected his constitu- 
tion, though his sunken eye and sallow complexion 
proved the presence of disease. Every man seems 
to consider himself, by a special law of nature, ex- 
empt from the ills of the flesh which befall his fellow- 
creatures. The few who reside at Zanzibar will not 
allow that the climate is at all deleterious, but attrib- 
ute the fatality attending those who visit the island 
entirely to imprudence. That in many, perhaps in 
most cases, imprudence is the chief cause of disease, 
can not be denied. Imprudence, generally the re- 
sult of ignorance of the climate, can hardly be attrib- 
uted to those who have resided there any length of 
time and experienced its baneful effects ; and I think 
the assertion, in regard to its healthiness, is sufficient- 



LOATHSOME CONDITION OF THE FORT. 371 

ly contradicted by their pallid faces and broken con- 
stitutions. 

One of the most inhuman practices that ever fell 
under my observation is that of imprisoning sailors 
in the fort. In such a climate as that of Zanzibar 
it is positive murder, and that, tof>, of the most cruel 
and nefarious character. The external appearance 
of the fort is that of a ruin, patched up by unskillful 
architects. Like nearly all the buildings in Zanzi- 
bar, its prominent characteristic is a loathsome smell. 
The walls are actually piles of filth, being thoroughly 
saturated with the drawings of dirt-buckets from the 
port-holes and windows. Unsightly as it is exter- 
nally, the interior is still more disgusting. In the 
large square, formed by the four great walls and the 
towers at each corner, are a few miserable sheds, built 
of bamboo, and thatched with leaves of the cocoa- 
nut tree. These sheds emit an insufferable smell 
from their extreme squalor and filth, and abound with 
vermin. The lazy sentinels, who have charge of 
the castle, never think of cleansing their own disgust- 
ing persons, much less the place they lie in. There 
is no other shelter for prisoners than these miserable 
sheds, and they are so poorly constructed as to ad- 
mit the night-dews, which are even more fatal than 
rains or the burning rays of the sun. As a protec- 
tion against the inclemency of the weather, they 
amount to nothing at all. With nothing to keep the 
inmates from the damp earth, not a single article of 
furniture being allowed them, and no comfort what- 



372 INHUMAN TREATMENT OF SAILORS. 

ever to preserve health, these sheds answer but one 
purpose — to hurry the unfortunate wretch who is 
immured in them out of existence. Dead men oc- 
casion but little trouble. It is a sure and expeditious 
way to get rid of sailors, slaves, and others of that 
class, to immure them in his highness's castle. A 
week will do for a man of ordinary constitution — 
tougher ones require two or three. Some, in a 
healthy season, have stood it a month ; but these 
were mutinous sailors, who had a great deal of pre- 
sumption, and deserved severe punishment for not dy- 
ing immediately, according to the established rules 
of the place, as all docile and well-disposed sailors 
should do. It is a piece of unpardonable audacity 
for a sailor to hold out a month. Prisoners of this 
class are not aware of the trouble they give their su- 
perior authorities by such conduct. I would suggest, 
as an improvement to the accommodations of the 
fort, the propriety of erecting a whipping-post in the 
middle of the square. Sailors who have the pre- 
sumption to live after the usual time allotted to them 
could then be brought to a due sense of their ingrat- 
itude and moral depravity. A sound flogging every 
morning for a week would no doubt effect the main 
object of their imprisonment — the gratification of 
arbitrary power, and the glorious pleasures of triumph 
over stupidity and obstinacy. There are some fla- 
grant instances of this moral depravity, on the part 
of sailors, recorded in the log-books of vessels which 
have visited Zanzibar. I shall only mention one, for 



"benevolence" of whaling captains. 373 

I dislike exceedingly to impugn the characteristic 
" benevolence" of whaling captains. 

In 1838 (if I am not mistaken), a whaler came 

into port under the command of Captain N , 

with the crew in a mutinous state. The cause, as I 
learned it, was this : During the voyage the men 
had taken up all that was due to them in slops, at 
the usual exorbitant prices. The consequence was, 
when there should have been a handsome sum com- 
ing to them for their labor, they were either in debt 
or had nothing. This naturally caused them to take 
less interest in the success of the voyage than they 
would have taken had their earnings been withheld 
till the proper time, and what clothing they actually 
needed sold them at an honest price. The captain 
was a drunkard, quarreled with his officers, and 
made a practice of using profane language to the 
men, and flogging them without the slightest justifi- 
cation. This created discontent. When they ar- 
rived at Zanzibar, nine of them refused duty, and 
complained of the brutal manner in which they had 
been treated. Consuls seem to consider that there 
is but one course for them to pursue in cases of this 
kind — to have a trial, hear all the captain says, turn 
a deaf ear to all complaints from the men, and put 
them in prison. This may be the law — I will not 

dispute it. Captain N 's men were sent in irons 

to his highness's fort, and the vessel proceeded on a 
short cruise. In a few weeks she returned. Mean- 
time, several of the men, who doubtless felt too grate- 



374 MELANCHOLY FATE OF PRISONERS. 

ful for the treatment they had received to violate the 
established laws of nature, were sufficiently sensible 
of their obligations to die in great agony of body 
and distress of mind. The others took the fever. 
Whether they eventually recovered or not, I was un- 
able to learn. However, they were taken on duty 
again, to enter upon another hard year's cruise, for 
the benefit of their owners : a piece of magnanimity 
unparalleled in the archives of this fort. I do not 
adduce this to reflect upon the conduct of Captain 
N . Every consul and ship-owner in the coun- 
try will admit that he did his duty. The crew re- 
fused duty ; they were tried, found guilty, and put in 
prison. A number of them happened to die. Whose 
fault was it 1 The fault of the fort and the climate, 
of course ! I merely relate it as a singular and strik- 
ing instance of stubbornness on the part of sailors. 

I have it from the best authority that two thirds 
of the white men imprisoned in this fort fall victims 
to the fever. Whether the offenses of which they 
are presumed to be guilty are in all cases criminal 
or not, or whether the offenders deserve death for 
every breach of duty, it is not my province to deter- 
mine ; but I must be permitted to say, I am not 
aware of any law, English or American, which pro- 
vides that seamen shall, for offenses of any hind what- 
ever, be immured in a prison where death is inevita- 
ble. As I am but little versed in law, however, it 
may be that, upon certain legal principles unknown 
to me, this particular species of murder is justifiable. 



A HUMANE SUGGESTION. 375 

If so, I devoutly trust that, as Christianity progresses 
in our country — as the march of improvement teach- 
es us expedition, our government will see fit, in its 
magnanimity, to transmute the punishment for all 
these petty infringements of marine law to immedi- 
ate death. By practicing at rifle-shooting, our agents 
or consuls would soon become expert enough to 
shoot sailors down scientifically the moment one of 
these imposing trials is over. This will save a vast 
deal of vexation and trouble on their part, and be 
much more humane than the present plan of subject- 
ing the poor wretches to death by torture. I would 
not be understood as casting reflections upon either 
the British or American consul now at Zanzibar. 
Injustice to our consul, Mr. Waters, I should state 
that he invariably represents to seamen the condition 
of the fort, when it devolves upon him to imprison 
them, and urges them to return to duty.* The laws 
of their country, or the customary rules in foreign 
countries, are conceived imperatively to compel them 
to make use of the fort. It is the only prison the 
place at present affords, and it is, no doubt, in their 
conception of their duty that this detestable practice 

* I should be sorry to be understood as imputing to the American 
consul dereliction of duty toward our seamen. He has certain pow- 
ers vested in him as an agent of the government, and can not trans- 
cend them. Mr. Waters, the present incumbent, very humanely 
assisted me in my endeavors to procure my discharge from the Styx, 
and, during my sojourn on the island, treated me with great kindness 
and hospitality. My strictures are intended to apply to the system, 
not to the persons. 



376 EVILS OF THE CONSULAR SYSTEM. 

is pursued. But what law can require or justify in- 
humanity so disgraceful, crime so foul, barbarity so 
fiendish ? I ask for information. I do not dispute 
the existence of such a law. I have been told the 
duties of consuls are strictly defined in this particu- 
lar ; that they do not transcend them in punishing 
mutinous seamen by imprisoning them in the best 
prison the place affords. Vessels of war, from Eng- 
land and America, have visited Zanzibar. Its re- 
sources have been described — its advantages as a 
place of commercial resort descanted upon. If, then, 
with the knowledge of such an evil, this system of 
murder is officially sanctioned, humanity should 
prompt the ruling power to vest in its representative, 
or agent, the privilege of shortening, in any conven- 
ient manner, the cruel tortures to which these pris- 
oners are now subjected. Let it not be said, at this 
enlightened period, that a new inquisition has sprung 
up. Let it not be said, that while we are sending 
out missionaries to civilize barbarous nations, we are 
exhibiting a most detestable barbarism ourselves. 
The remark of Eymerie, the Dominican, that it is a 
great consolation to suffer justly for a crime, is very 
probably true. Apply it to the present case. Would 
it not be rather too late for a man to call upon his 
country, after dying of a fever, to state that his ac- 
commodations were bad while in prison, and that, 
by some slight error of judgment as to the culpable 
party, he had suffered #wjustly? I am inclined to 
think redress would avail him but little then. The 



A GOOD PLAN NOT EXECUTED. 377 

punishment of death, in my opinion, should not be 
left at the discretion of captains or consuls. Even 
where the life at stake is only that of a sailor, he 
ought, according to the principles of our Constitu- 
tion, to be entitled to equal privileges with the lands- 
man. 

The sultan, in the plenitude of his generosity to- 
ward America and England, had a fine house built 
for the accommodation of mariners. It was to be 
furnished in the European style, and to answer all 
the purposes of a sailor's home. His highness in- 
tended having an American physician attached to 
the establishment, to take charge of the sick and dis- 
abled, at his own expense. The whole design was 
excellent ; nothing could be better ; but his highness 
has omitted one important feature in the plan — to 
put it in execution. One of his sons, Syed Hallal, 
occupies the house. Whether it will ever be made 
use of as a hospital or sailor's home it is impossible 
to say. 

In most parts of the world where consuls are sta- 
tioned, accommodations are provided for the sick 
and destitute mariners who are cast upon their hands. 
Here the greatest misfortune a shipwrecked mariner 
can sustain is to be rescued from the perils of the 
sea. A fate far less preferable awaits him. There 
are no accommodations fit for a white man to be 
had. He must, in many instances, find such shelter 
as an old store-house, or such lodgings as the natives 
may feel disposed to let him have. Indifferent lodg- 

B BB 



378 HARDSHIPS OF THE SAILOR. 

ings, in such a climate, are the most productive causes 
of fever. It is no wonder that disease soon fastens 
upon him. What is his condition then 1 There is 
no hospital where he can find rest and care ; no 
physician in the place ; no medicine to be had, un- 
less some of his kind countrymen choose to spare 
him a little ; and, above all, he is destitute of those 
necessaries, and that care and attention which tend 
to promote recovery as much as medicine or profes- 
sional skill. The result is, that, in perhaps five cases 
out of six, these shipwrecked and distressed mariners, 
who, by misfortune, are cast ashore on the Island of 
Zanzibar, fall victims to disease. 

I have seen so much barbarity toward the sick 
here ; so brutal a disregard for human life ; so much 
selfishness and cupidity, that my blood runs cold to 
think of the number of valuable lives that have been 
willfully and purposely sacrificed to avoid trouble and 
expense. Great God ! are such evils to be counte- 
nanced by American freemen ! Must men who, from 
choice or necessity, follow sea-faring for a livelihood, 
who minister to all our luxuries and comforts at home 
by their daring intrepidity, be treated like dumb 
brutes ? Must a poor sailor, who has had the mis- 
fortune to be cast ashore, be browbeat, scorned, and 
neglected when sickness and destitution come upon 
him, and for no other reason than because he is a 
sailor, who can not make any direct return for the 
trouble and expense 1 Americans ! will you suffer 
this ? I have pointed out the evil; apply the remedy. 



DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH. 379 

For the benefit of seamen, I shall say a word or 
two on the best means of avoiding fevers and other 
diseases which prevail on the island. 

Previous to entering port, the stomach should be 
cleansed by an emetic, and the blood cooled by some 
gentle aperient, such as salts. Undue exposure to 
the sun is fatal. Too much sleep in this climate 
enervates and relaxes the muscular system, and ren- 
ders the stomach more susceptible of fevers. Seven 
hours out of the twenty-four are amply sufficient. 
All exciting liquors and strong food should be avoid- 
ed; The French are less subject to fevers in this 
climate than the Americans or English, because they 
make use of lighter food, and their mode of cooking 
is better adapted to health. In our vessels, a large 
quantity of grease is used in almost every mess for 
the men. This is calculated to promote bile, and as- 
sist in the production of fever. Horsburgh cautions 
mariners against drinking the water fresh from the 
Motoney, and recommends them to make use of that 
which has been in the casks on board the ship for 
some time in preference to any other. I have known a 
very fatal form of dysentery to be brought on by using 
this water. The stream is supplied, in a great meas- 
ure, by the heavy dews in the interior of the island. 
These dews are formed by noxious exhalations from 
vegetable matter, and contain a large amount of poi- 
son. The poisonous particles settle down or adhere 
to the cask, after letting the water stand a sufficient 
length of time, which accounts for the fact that it 
becomes quite wholesome in a few weeks. 



380 DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH. 

Curry, a favorite article of food with the Arabs, 
is considered by physicians very wholesome, and 
when properly prepared with chicken, or fowl of any 
kind, it is an extremely palatable dish. When pre- 
pared for use it resembles mustard, and has a pungent 
taste, without the exciting properties of that seed. It 
is most frequently used with rice. From my own 
experience, I regard it as the best food that can be 
used, being light, nutritious, and easily digested. 

Fruits should be very sparingly eaten. In a tropi- 
cal climate, there is perhaps no cause of fever so pro- 
ductive as an imprudent indulgence in this article 
of food. The cheapness and abundance of the most 
delicious tropical fruits are almost irresistible tempta- 
tions to the sea-farer who for months has whetted 
his appetite on hard biscuit and salt junk ; but it 
should be borne in mind that sickness and death are 
too' often the penalties of indulgence. The pine- 
apple is the most dangerous of all tropical fruits. I 
have known two or three cases in which valuable 
lives were lost by even a moderate use of the pine- 
apple, in consequence of drinking the juice of cocoa- 
nut after it; and several cases of death caused by 
the pine-apple alone. It possesses dangerous chem- 
ical properties, which, by contact with certain acids 
in the stomach, produce the most baneful results. A 
mixture of the pine-apple with the milk of the cocoa- 
nut is almost invariably fatal. This fact is so little 
known, that in many cases death seizes the victim 
without any apparent cause. The cocoa-nut is also 



DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH. 381 

a fruit that should be avoided. Travelers have en- 
thusiastically described it as a most wholesome and 
nutritious fruit ; but this is fiction. It is not only in- 
digestible, but, from its strong, oily properties, pecul- 
iarly calculated to vitiate the blood and promote fe- 
vers. The chief cause of the disgusting cutaneous 
eruptions, ulcers, cancers, sores, &c, so prevalent 
among the natives, is the free use which they make 
of the cocoa-nut. Plantains and bananas, when 
eaten sparingly, are easily digested, and may be used 
without any serious consequences. Undue indul- 
gence in them, however, is apt to produce acidity in 
the stomach, dysentery, and fevers. Oranges are 
less objectionable than any of the tropical fruits yet 
mentioned. Care should be taken to avoid eating 
the small species called the China orange. It is very 
unwholesome. The danger is perhaps more in the 
quantity of oranges eaten than the quality. Cha- 
lottes, melons, guavas, and mangoes are not unwhole- 
some when prudently eaten, but, as a general rule, it 
is better to avoid them entirely than run the risk of 
being tempted to over-indulgence. The same rule 
may be applied to all tropical fruits. In the United 
States, where these fruits are dear, and are only eaten 
in small quantities, they seldom produce fatal conse- 
quences ; but here they are within reach of all, and 
in the greatest abundance, and, being peculiarly deli- 
cious from their freshness, are eaten with less mod- 
eration. Besides, many articles of food may be 
made use of in a temperate climate with impunity, 



382 DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH. 

which are almost absolute poison in a very warm 
climate. Febrile action is promoted by the heat, 
which enervates, and renders the body more suscepti- 
ble of disease. The digestive powers are less vigor- 
ous, and the muscular system relaxed. Disease is 
more easily engendered. It would be better, there- 
fore, to avoid fruit of every kind, where there is any 
fear of yielding to over-indulgence. 

Cassada, a vegetable much esteemed by the Bra- 
zilians, who use it very frequently for bread, is pro- 
duced in great abundance on the Island of Zanzibar. 
When well boiled, it is glutinous, and in taste some- 
what resembles the potato. It is generally made use 
of as a substitute for potatoes. It is extremely nu- 
tritious, and forms a valuable addition to a ship's 
recruit. The yam, above all vegetables produc- 
ed on the island, should have the preference as a 
wholesome article of food. It is far preferable to 
the sweet potato, the only species of potato produced 
on the island. I do not consider the latter very 
wholesome. The yam, however, need not be feared. 
It is light, porous, and nutritious, and I have never 
known it to occasion sickness. Rice is too well 
known to need recommendation. Its excellent qual- 
ities are so well appreciated by the white residents 
at Zanzibar, that they use it almost exclusively. 
The natives make a sort of bread by mixing rice 
and cocoa-nut, but it is very heavy and indigestible. 

It is necessary in all climates, and indispensably 
so between the tropics, for the preservation of health, 



DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH. 383 

to keep the skin clean, so that the refuse matter may 
have a free passage through the pores. Bathing, 
therefore, can not be too strongly recommended. 
Salt water is preferable to fresh. The crews of ves- 
sels should avoid bathing too far from the beach, as 
the bay abounds in sharks. It is injurious to bathe 
in the heat of the day. 

By attention to these directions, which I give 
from experience, much sickness may be avoided. 
While ships' crews were dying around me every day, 
I escaped a day's sickness by prudence in the use 
of fruit, light diet, moderate exercise, and frequent 
immersions in water. I will not guaranty exemption 
from sickness in every case. The climate, notwith- 
standing every precaution, affects the health unfavor- 
ably in all cases by producing languor, depression of 
mind, and general debility. These effects are felt, in 
a greater or less degree, by all who visit the island 
and spend any considerable length of time there. 
But the fatal fevers may, in many instances, be 
avoided by strict attention to cleanliness and diet. 

The night dews contain large quantities of pois- 
onous matter exhaled from vegetables, which, either 
absorbed by the skin, or taken into the lungs, mate- 
rially affect the health, and exposure to them for a 
single night is absolutely fatal. It would therefore 
be advisable, not only to avoid staying out later than 
eight o'clock, but to keep within the limits of the 
town even till that hour, the dew being lighter and 
less injurious where there are few shrubs or trees 



384 SUPERSTITIONS. 

than where vegetation is dense. Those who sleep 
on board vessels out in the bay are less subject to 
fevers than those who sleep ashore, owing to the fact 
that the dews are not so heavy, and that the plank 
decks are less damp than the earth, and do not emit 
poisonous exhalations. When it is necessary to 
sleep ashore, a stone house, well roofed, and with a 
second story, should be chosen in preference to a 
bamboo hut. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Superstitions of the Inhabitants. — Hassan and the Devil. — Jeram Bin 
Seva's Horror of Mesmerism. — The big Snake. — Funeral Cere- 
monies of the Sowhelians. — A Mohammedan's Aversion to Pork. 
— Death of a Portuguese Boy. — Character of the Arabs. — A Bri- 
dal Ceremony. — Marriage Law. — Sowhelian Dances. — The 
Coolies. — Jungle Dogs. — Death of a Shipmate. — Practicing Med- 
icine. — Auctions. — Sale of the Brig Bogota. 

Superstitions. — Hassan, a Banyan, had a para- 
lytic stroke not long since, which twisted his nose to 
one side, and drew up the corners of his mouth. It 
was impossible to convince him that this was not all 
through the special agency of the devil. Describing 
the manner in which his affliction originated, Hassan 
said, 

" I was sitting at the door of my house. The 
devil came and struck me on the face. Presently, 
when I thought he was gone, I put my hand up, and 



HASSAN AND THE DEVIL. 385 

found my mouth and nose all on one side. I called 
in the doctors and necromancers, and they said it 
was all the devil's work. He is in my head. I felt 
him enter my nostrils. He is trying to get out now, 
but another devil down in my throat has him by the 
leg." 

Perfectly satisfied that the two devils were waging 
war in his head and throat, Hassan procured an old 
woman, a celebrated necromancer from the Red Sea, 
to watch for the evil spirit, which, according to the 
prophecy of the woman, was to come out of his 
mouth within eight days. Meantime, he was com- 
pelled to sit in a chair in the middle of the room, 
with strict injunctions not to leave it night or day ; 
and, as an additional inducement to the evil spirits 
to leave, he was obliged to give the charmer large 
sums of money. Neither argument nor ridicule 
would convince him that this idea, which had taken 
such a hold upon him, was unfounded. 

When a Banyan is taken sick, he is immediately 
surrounded by a host of conjurers, who prescribe 
the most absurd remedies for him. It is confidently 
believed that a cure may be effected by the use of 
charms. The Arabs take passages from the Koran, 
and drink them in tumblers of water, or wear them 
next the part affected in a silk or cotton envelope. 
I have often seen these charms hung up over their 
doors to keep out the evil spirits. 

One morning I met Captain Hassan Bin Ibrihim, 
the commander-in-chief of the sultan's naval forces, 

C cc 



386 HASSAN BIN IBRIHIM. 

at the custom-house. I had been reading Ruschen- 
berger's Sketches of Zanzibar, in which the captain 
is described at full length, and highly eulogized. Af- 
ter we had exchanged the customary salutations, I 
alluded to the complimentary manner in which he 
had been noticed. His countenance immediately 
brightened up. 

" Oh yes," said he, " the doctor has written a work. 
I have heard of it, but I have not read it. I very 
well remember the time when the Peacock was here. 
Commodore Kennedy is my friend. The commo- 
dore is a very fine man. I like him much." 

" Well, Hassan," said I, " it appears that you and 
Dr. Ruschenberger were quite intimate. He gives 
an account of a visit to Kizimbane, and speaks of 
you as if he knew you well, for he intimates as much 
as that you are ' a gentleman and a scholar.' ' 

This little compliment tickled old Hassan's vanity 
so much that he grasped my hand, and his eyes 
sparkled as he repeated my words. 

" Indeed ! Ton my word ! And so my friend 
has put me in print. And he calls me a gentleman 
and a scholar — all the same as plenty sense here" 
(tapping his forehead). " I should like very much to 
read his book ; but, although I can speak English 
like American man, I can't catch idea in books." 

" Is it true, Hassan, that one of the party at his 
highness's shamba examined your head F- 

" Oh yes, I recollect. What you call man who 
feel the head all over in this fashion ?" 



JERAM BIN SEEVA'S OPINION OF PHRENOLOGY. 387 

" A phrenologist. Is that what you mean V 

" That's it; a phrenologist. Well, that is strange 
business. I no understand it exactly." 

I soon explained to Captain Hassan the element- 
ary principles of phrenology ; and it quite surprised 
me to find him comprehend them so readily. 

Jeram Bin Seeva, the keeper of the custom-house, 
who had been listening to our conversation, shook 
his head doubtfully, and remarked, 

"Ah, dis no very good business. Phrenologist 
man put plenty devil in people's head. I tink it 
more better he do something else." 

" But, Jeram," said I, " you are not aware of all 
the advantages of this science. Is it not a very 
good way to find out a man's character 1 Suppose 
his highness wishes to buy a slave — would it not be 
a great advantage to him to be able to tell by the 
shape of the man's head whether he was a good 
man or a bad one ?" 

" Dat may be ; but I no like. Suppose he put 
bad ting in people's head ; what good den ? Ah, 
all dis ting bad, very bad. I tink phrenologist no 
better dan devil. I no let him feel my head." 

" Why, Jeram, you are entirely mistaken. It is a 
very harmless science, if not a useful one. But have 
you ever heard of a Mesmerist ?" 

" Mesmeris 1 What dat 1 More bad ting, I 
know." 

As this was something new to him, I undertook 
to explain the phenomena of animal magnetism. He 



388 MESMERISM. 

seemed to comprehend what I meant very readily. 
I then told him some of the wonders of neurology. 
The superstitious awe with which the Banyan list- 
ened to my recital heartily amused Captain Hassan, 
who, being better educated, was less superstitious. 
When I had concluded, he observed, 

" I think it very good plan. Suppose you put Mes- 
merism in Jeram's leg, and make it stiff all the same 
as a log of wood. Then you say to Jeram, ' My 
friend, you very rich man : if you give me ten thou- 
sand dollars, I take devil out of your leg. Suppose 
you no give, I make it stay stiff all the days of your 
life. Then you must walk on one leg all the same 
as dervish.' " 

All present laughed heartily but Jeram, who seem- 
ed to be seriously frightened. Shaking his head 
gravely, he muttered, " No good business. I tink all 
dese kind people go to bad place." 

" Not at all, Jeram," said I ; " it is a very useful sci- 
ence. Now, for instance, if you wish to see your 
friends and relatives in Cutch, and to know how 
they are, what they are doing, how they look, and 
all about them, all I have to do is to put you to 
sleep in this way. Keep still, now, one minute," 
and I made some of the Mesmeric passes down be- 
fore his face, keeping my eyes steadily fixed upon 
his. He twisted and turned in his seat, opened his 
eyes in horror, and exhibited every symptom of un- 
easiness. 

" Keep still, Jeram ; you'll see your friends pres- 



THE BIG SNAKE. 389 

ently. Now don't move. There ! there ! Don't 
you see any thing V and, gazing in his eyes with a 
mysterious eagerness, I continued to make the pass- 
es. This was too much for the superstitious Ban- 
yan. 

" No good ! no good !" he shrieked, starting up 
from his seat, with the utmost consternation depict- 
ed in his looks. " You put devil in me. I no like 
dis. Very bad business dis. Go way ! go way ! I 
call my men." 

Captain Hassan laughed heartily at the conster- 
nation of Jeram ; but told me, after we had left the 
custom-house, that I must be careful, or I would get 
the reputation of being connected with evil spirits, 
in which case he would not answer for the conse- 
quences. 

Mr. Fabeus told me of an amusing occurrence 
illustrative of the superstition of the Arabs. Trav- 
eling along the beach one day, he was accosted by 
the sultan's secretary, Ahamet Bin Hamees. 

" Well, you catch news to-day V 

" No ; what news V 

" Oh, great things going to happen. A big devil 
came down from the clouds this morning. The 
people are all in confusion. He made a terrible 
noise. His highness says this is a bad sign. What 
shall we do V 

" What did this devil look like ?" 

" He came down in the shape of a big snake. 
His head was in the water ; his tail reached clear up 



390 HORROR OF BLOOD. 

to the clouds. I was frightened to death. I think 
he will swallow up Zanzibar." 

This devil in the shape of a snake, which pro- 
duced such consternation, proved to be nothing less 
than a water-spout, which had passed across the 
bay. The sultan firmly adhered to his first asser- 
tion, that it was a devil, and boded destruction to 
Zanzibar ; nor could ridicule or reason convince 
him of his error. 

The Banyans are extremely punctilious in their 
religious forms. They have a holy horror of blood, 
and will never willingly sacrifice the life of an ani- 
mal. Among their deities the cow is particularly 
revered. They treat this animal with great tender- 
ness and affection : providing shelter for her in their 
own houses, feeding her with their own hands, and 
caressing her on all occasions. They seldom pass 
one without complimenting her with a reverential 
salaam. Their bigotry is almost incredible. So 
implicitly do they rely on the truth of their own 
doctrines, that they firmly believe no one who sheds 
the blood, knowingly and willfully, even of the mean- 
est creeping thing, can enter the future state, but 
must become forever extinct after death. When an 
accident befalls any of them, it is attributed to the 
devil, who, they imagine, takes up his quarters in 
their bodies, and plays those pranks upon them for 
his own special amusement. They use no animal 
food whatever. Milk and rice constitute their chief 
food. So much has been written respecting the 



FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 391 

idolatries of these people, that I fear I can hardly add 
any thing new. It is almost universally known that 
they believe in the transmigration of souls. Their 
doctrine is, that if they were to kill a cow, or a goat, 
or any other domestic animal, it would be destroy- 
ing the soul of some deceased relative. Hence their 
aversion to the shedding of blood. The Banyans, 
notwithstanding their superstitions and idolatries, 
are an extremely quiet and inoffensive people, and, 
from their knowledge of commercial transactions, 
make very useful citizens. It is not improbable that, 
if it were not for the industry and good example of 
the Banyans, the Arabs would never enjoy any of 
those luxuries which are now so common at Zan- 
zibar. 

The Sowhelians are no less superstitious than the 
Banyans. In their funeral processions they exhibit 
this trait very strongly. The mourners, or relatives 
of the deceased, take the lead, and march through 
the town with torches, wailing for the deceased. 
When they arrive at the beach, they are taken by 
their friends, and, after some ceremony like baptism, 
immersed in the surf. After this, the body of a goat 
is thrown in where the immersion took place, and 
they return to their homes with all their griefs washed 
away. It is unnecessary for them to exhibit any 
signs of grief thenceforth. The funeral wail is sin- 
gularly wild and mournful, and accompanies the fol- 
lowing words : 



392 ENTERTAINING AN ARAB. 

(Solo) Seela boola yama kilo ! 

(Echo) Yama hilo. 

(Chorus) Hilo. 

This is merely a dirge, expressive of the grief of 
the mourners, and signifies, in substance, the virtues 
of the deceased, who is now free from the cares and 
anxieties of life. 

While at anchor in the bay, the Styx was visited 
by great numbers of the natives, who brought off 
shells in their canoes to trade with us. Among these 
visitors was a tall young Arab of pleasing address, to 
whom I have already alluded as having been to Amer- 
ica. He understood English very well, and spoke 
it quite fluently. I found him very communicative 
and intelligent, and became such a favorite with him 
that he made me several little presents of shells. In 
return for his friendly intentions, I invited him one 
day to share my dinner in the forecastle, with the 
design of making him some presents afterward. My 
accommodations were not very good, but I contrived 
a seat for him alongside my chest. We seated our- 
selves on a couple of soap-kegs very socially. I bor- 
rowed a tin pot and pan from one of my shipmates, 
and, having a jack-knife, two Majungha spoons, and 
an old fork, our table made something of a show. 
Unfortunately, it happened to be what the sailors call 
banyan day, so that I could get nothing for him but 
beef, pork, potatoes, and bread. He manifested so 
much disgust at the sight of the pork that I removed 
it, though he had the delicacy to avoid saying any 



HIS AVERSION TO PORK. 393 

thing. The beef, which had been taken from the 
same kid, was quite as offensive, and the potatoes, 
having come in contact with the meat, were equally 
unpalatable. Here I was, in a pretty predicament ! 
An Arab to dine with me, with every desire to ex- 
tend the rights of hospitality to him, and yet with 
nothing to give him to eat ! Seeing him nibble away 
on a dry biscuit, I got out my keg of molasses, and 
made him some switchel. This, with some broken 
bread, he dispatched with great relish. Curious to 
learn the extent of his religious scruples, I asked him 
if he had ever eaten pork. 

" Me eat pork !" he exclaimed, with looks of dis- 
gust ; " better I eat poison ! Pork all the same as dirt. 
Sooner than eat pork, I cut my throat. Mohamme- 
dan, if he touch pork, wash himself all over. Me 
touch it, it make me sick ; me eat it, I die." 

" And have you never even tasted of it V 

" Never. Me taste it 1 ugh !" 

" How do you know, then, whether it's good or 
bad 1 Try a piece, and I'll engage you'll find it very 
good. It won't do you the least harm." 

" You want me to die — go to bad place V said 
Rajab, looking gravely in my face. 

" No, Rajab ; I don't know that pork ever sent any 
body to the bad place." 

" Mohammedans think so. Suppose I break the 

rules of my religion, what am 1 1 Nobody speak to 

me ; my mother turn me out of doors ; nobody give 

me food ; nobody trade with me ; slaves spit upon 

D D D 



394 AN INTERESTING PORTUGUESE BOY. 

me, and beat me with sticks as I walk along the 
streets ; I no better than a dog." 

In this way I learned much from him concerning 
the most interesting parts of his creed. As soon as 
he found that my object was only to gain informa- 
tion, he answered all my questions with great candor 
and good humor. 

Captain F , of the brig Bogota, had a Portu- 
guese boy, whose tricks were the occasion of much 
merriment among the Bogota's crew. He was a 
bright-eyed, happy little fellow, and his melancholy 
fate gives more than ordinary interest to his memory. 
I first met him at Johanna, where his ingenuous 
countenance and pleasant disposition, so strongly 
contrasting with the characteristic traits of the Por- 
tuguese, attracted my attention. His extreme youth, 
the wild life he led, the great distance that separated 
him from his parents, and the intellectual beauty of 
his countenance, interested me. He had been eight 
months from St. Michael's, where his parents resided, 
and, although he had never been before from his 
mountain home in the Azores, he could speak very 

good English. Captain F was much annoyed 

by the natives, who were continually lounging about 
his house, watching an opportunity to steal. Little 
Sam contrived a plan to get rid of them. As it was 
completely successful, I shall mention it for the ben- 
efit of others who may be placed in the same situa- 
tion. With a large piece of pork, which he procur- 
ed from the cook, he baited a line attached to a long 



HIS MELANCHOLY DEATH. 395 

pole, and hid himself behind a bamboo wall, where 
he could reach the intruders without being seen. 
When any of them came within the premises, down 
went the pork on their heads, and away they flew, 
yelling as if pursued by a legion of devils. Spring- 
ing from his station, Sam would then pursue them 
at full speed with his defiling instrument. I have 
seen the poor creatures actually go into convulsions 
if touched on the mouth with the pork. 

Poor little Sam, one day, ate a piece of pine-apple, 
and drank some sherbet. Four days after, I saw 
him stretched on a catanda in the agonies of death. 
He died on the fifth day, in the most excruciating 
pain. His delicate limbs were contracted with tor- 
ture, and that fair countenance, which I had often 
looked upon with so much pleasure, animated with 
boyish glee, was ghastly and distorted. Captain 

F mourned his loss with deep sincerity. He 

had the unfortunate boy decently buried on the little 
island in the bay, and erected a cross, with a Portu- 
guese inscription, over his grave. 

The Arabs place great reliance on the power of 
conjurers, and subject themselves, by their credulity, 
to the most glaring deceptions. Such is the influence 
of superstition over them, that they will sooner part 
with all their wealth and effects than gainsay one of 
these conjurers. It is a common practice for this 
class of impostors to persuade their dupes that the 
evil spirits have taken up their habitation in the head, 
or certain parts of the body, and thus obtain large 



396 MARRIAGE CEREMONY. 

sums of money for working charms to drive these 
imps out. An Arab who imagines himself to be 
afflicted in this way, will surrender himself com- 
pletely to the disposal of conjurers, who, by acting 
in concert, and increasing his superstitious fears, 
often contrive to fleece him of all his money. This 
does not impair his belief in the wisdom and power 
of the conjurers. The misfortune is attributed to 
his bad luck, and they go free from suspicion, to 
practice their deceptions on another dupe. At the 
bidding of these impostors, an Arab will shut him- 
self up for weeks, with scarcely food enough to sus- 
tain life. When informed that the evil spirits have 
taken their departure, he opens his doors once more, 
sufficiently glad to get clear of the unwelcome in- 
truders not to grieve over the cost. 

Ceremonies, &c. — The marriage ceremony among 
the Coolies is strikingly characteristic of savage life. 
It usually lasts from three to five days, according to 
the circumstances of the parties. I witnessed a 
grand ceremony in honor of the marriage of one of 
the Akedars (head Coolies), who was joined in holy 
wedlock to a Sowhelian beauty. It was on a larger 
scale than the ordinary marriage ceremonies, and 
lasted a week. 

The bridal couple, after arranging all the prelim- 
inaries in the presence of their friends and relatives, 
sallied forth, followed by a long procession. From 
eighty to a hundred girls, friends of the happy pair, 
preceded by all the Coolies in the town, and sur- 



ZANZIBAR BELLES AND COSTUME. 397 

rounded by crowds of citizens of every caste, com- 
posed the most singular part of the procession. 
These damsels were all fat and sleek; for, unlike 
our standard of beauty, a belle at Zanzibar must 
weigh at least two hundred. Her cheeks must pro- 
ject like gourds, and the quintessence of beauty is a 
bright, greasy skin. The belle who can scarcely 
carry her surplus fat, and waddles along like a duck, 
captivates all hearts. Their style of costume in 
these processions is by no means unbecoming, though 
characteristic of the love of show evinced by all sav- 
age nations. It is composed of Persian silks, or 
shawls from Aden, of the most striking and beauti- 
ful colors, thrown gracefully over the shoulders and 
breasts, and hanging in loose folds to the feet. A 
simple robe of Zanzibar fabric, made from the bark 
of the cocoa-nut, wrapped around the body, and se- 
cured by strings, forms the remainder of this pictu- 
resque costume. No turban is worn ; but frequent- 
ly the head is ornamented with a great profusion of 
beads, and the hair combed out at full length, resem- 
bling very strongly a mop, or what is sometimes 
called a pope's head, such as chambermaids use for 
brushing down cobwebs. Fashion here, as well as 
elsewhere, commits her fantastic freaks. Sandals 
are seldom worn by the females. The ankles are 
fancifully bedecked with brass rings, silver or gilt 
clasps and beads, and rudely-carved ebony ; and the 
ears and various parts of the person ornamented 
with a profusion of trinkets. A horse's tail, or the 



398 DRESS OF THE MEN. 

skin of a mokak, not unfrequently forms the head- 
dress. It has a very singular appearance dangling 
down over the back of the neck. Their faces are 
daubed in a frightful manner with yellow, red, or 
black paint. The eyebrows are painted from tem- 
ple to temple, and a large circle round the eyes 
traced with black paint is considered the chef-d 'auvre 
of elegance. At a short distance it gives them the 
appearance of owls. 

The men are naked to the waist, and wear noth- 
ing but white turbans and a cotton clouty fastened 
round the hips and reaching down to the calf of the 
leg. They present a very formidable appearance 
with their painted faces, necklaces of sharks' teeth, 
and glittering khungars (knives). In the procession 
of the Akedar, they took the lead of the musicians. 
Their arms consisted of swords, spears, khungars, 
bows and arrows, and war-clubs, which they flour- 
ished with the most ferocious and threatening ges- 
tures. When the procession reached any street 
where the leaders desired to have a dance, the main 
body came to a halt. Six or eight of the active 
performers ran forward in advance of the procession, 
and gave notice of the entertainment by yelling at 
the top of their voices, and going through various 
curious manceuvers. Each man was provided with 
a sword, the blade of which was so thin, that, by 
holding it in a vertical position and striking his wrist 
with the hilt, a vibratory motion was produced, 
which is considered a feat of great skill. Some- 



A MOUNTEBANK. 399 

times one of the party has a bow and a quiver of 
arrows, another a spear, and a third a javelin. In 
this case the man with the bow and arrows goes 
through his exercise by running stealthily along, as 
if stealing upon an enemy. He then crouches upon 
the ground, creeps a few yards on his hands and 
knees, and draws upon his foe. The arrow is sup- 
posed to have reached the heart of his victim. The 
warrior springs up with a savage yell, and dances 
about in a paroxysm of delight, his eyes flashing, 
and his countenance indicative of savage triumph. 
The spear and javelin exercise follows this, and is 
precisely similar. There is also a mountebank at- 
tached to all these processions, and the part he plays 
is very conspicuous. His dress is composed of a 
clouty, a few bunches of kya rope dangling from his 
head, tattered rags round his wrists and ankles, and 
a civit-skin hanging over each shoulder by way of 
ornament. His face is striped with red and black 
paint, and his body fantastically ornamented with 
yellow ochre, or copal dust. This important func- 
tionary, like the clown at a circus, is full of tricks, 
and acts well his part if he can raise a laugh by 
his grimaces or ridiculous antics. He yells louder 
than any one in the party, cuts the most extraordi- 
nary monkey capers, dances, wriggles his body into 
unnatural positions, and frightens the little children 
with the horrible contortions of his face. In short, 
he is quite an indispensable personage, and attracts 
great attention. 



400 A BARBAROUS DIN. 

Meantime, while these manoeuvers were going on, 
the main body formed themselves into two lines, one 
at each side of the street, leaving a space between 
of four or five feet. The musicians stood between 
these lines, and struck up their wild, singular airs on 
zoomaras (somewhat like our clarinets) bambooas, 
banjos, and drums, creating a most deafening din. 
In the midst of them stood three boys bearing a 
platform, upon which was a large copper dish, which 
a fourth performed upon by hammering it with a 
cudgel, causing a sound not unlike a dozen cymbals 
struck at once. The females maintain their posi- 
tion, one row opposite the other, and move slowly 
along in military file, bowing their bodies over in time 
to the music. They beat the time on rhinoceros 
horns with a solid piece of wood. This barbarous 
din they accompany with their voices, singing a sort 
of chant, much in the monotnous manner of the 
Portuguese. Nothing can be more characteristic of 
savage life than their gestures, which are beastly and 
lascivious. If this would not sicken the sentimental- 
ist who eulogizes the grace and beauty of these 
wenches, there is a certain odor that fills the atmos- 
phere, especially in very warm weather, which I 
think would tend to destroy all romantic allusions. 

Occasionally an amateur from the crowd springs 
into the opening between the two files, and dances 
from one end to the other, reminding me forcibly of 
our own country reels. 

Thousands of idlers and vagabond Arabs follow 
the procession, and join in the clamor. 



CHARACTER OF THE WOMEN. 401 

Preceding the procession is a mammoth represent- 
ation of a horse, carried by four men, whose bodies 
are concealed. The body of this immense animal 
is composed of a cloth cast over a frame, and a 
wooden head, highly ornamented with red silks and 
other fanciful decorations. Moving along slowly 
with an undulating motion, and the legs of the four 
men giving it the appearance of some extraordinary 
animal with double legs, it is certainly one of the 
most startling objects I ever saw, and I think it would 
strike a panic among a regiment of soldiers, if they 
suddenly came upon it without knowing the secret 
of its structure. 

There is a stated period — three days, as I was 
told by a Sowhelian — after the performance of the 
marriage ceremony, during which the bridegroom can 
not enjoy any of the privileges of conjugal life ; but 
this delay is no great deprivation, as, in nine cases 
out of ten, those privileges have been enjoyed before- 
hand. 

Marriage with the Sowhelese is a mere theatrical 
farce, or, at best, but a jubilee for the entertainment 
of the bridegroom's friends. It is no sweeping as- 
sertion to say that the females, from the age of twelve, 
are at the service of the public. Of all the shame- 
less libertines I ever saw, the Arabs are pre-eminent. 
Although very zealous that the virtue of women of 
all castes should be in their own hands, they evince 
by all their actions that it could not be in worse. 

I have read in some work — the title of which I 
E E E 



402 THE MARRIAGE LAW. 

can not call to mind — that infidelity, in regard to the 
marriage tie, is extremely rare among the Moham- 
medans. It was one of the laws of Mohammed 
himself, as is stated in Sale's translation of the 
Koran, that no female could be convicted of adultery 
without the testimony of four responsible witnesses. 
This originated in consequence of a charge made 
against his favorite wife, in whose chastity he had 
great confidence. She had the misfortune to lose 
her way one evening ; next morning she was gallant- 
ed home by a handsome youth. Her character was 
assailed by the envious of her sex, and Mohammed, 
believing her to be innocent, enacted a law 7 to save 
her reputation, as well as to apply to all cases of a 
similar nature. 

That this law has ever been carried into execu- 
tion under the government of the Imaum of Muscat, 
seems to me a matter of doubt; and the assertion 
that infidelity is of rare occurrence among the Mo- 
hammedans is altogether fallacious ; for the Sowhe- 
lese and Arab females are, with scarcely an excep- 
tion, singularly liberal of their favors before marriage, 
and it is not at all probable that the mere mockery 
of a ceremony could produce the magical effect of 
making them virtuous. Several cases of infidelity oc- 
curred within my knowledge. The females were 
Arabs, the offenders Sowhelese. It did not require 
four witnesses to prove the offense. In each case 
one witness was quite sufficient. Nor was there any 
trial afterward. The only law executed in such 



SOWHELIAN DANCE. 403 

cases is what we would term Lynch law. Like all 
the laws by which the Arabs are governed, it is the 
law of passion, unguided either by reason or a desire 
for strict justice. The offenders were beaten through 
the streets with clubs and sticks. Every passer-by 
who had a weapon of this kind amused himself by 
tapping the poor wretches on the head; and one who 
passed the consular residence, as I sat at the window 
one forenoon, was covered with blood and stripes. 

Dancing is a favorite pastime with the natives of 
Zanzibar. The Sowhelese are so devoted to this 
amusement, that groups of them may be seen in the 
streets, enjoying themselves to the tune of a dozen 
drums under a burning sun, and where the ground is 
hot enough to bake bread. The females dance in 
separate sets from the men ; and although, to a culti 
vated taste, their style of dancing has nothing attract- 
ive or graceful in it, yet no doubt they have their 
Ellslers, Augustas, and Celestes. The first time I 
saw a regular dance, I was strolling down through 
that part of the town called Melina, where the poor- 
er classes reside. My attention was attracted by a 
crowd at the door of a miserable-looking hut, and a 
deafening din of drums, tamborines, zoomaras, and 
bambooas from within. Having a great curiosity to 
see what was going on, I stepped up to the door and 
made my salaam to the crowd, with the usual com- 
pliments, " Yamho — yambo saana — cana loolo ?" 
They very politely made way for the Manoomaigee, 
and I took my stand on the threshold of the door, 



404 SOWHELIAN " AGGRAVATORS." 

for the suffocating closeness of the atmosphere 
within was more than I could bear. There were 
six or eight damsels of a very dusky hue on the floor, 
performing their part with great energy and perse- 
verance ; indeed, they looked more like poor wretch- 
es hard at work than Sowhelian ladies enjoying a fa- 
vorite amusement. If there was any pleasure in it, 
they certainly earned it by the " sweat of their brow;" 
and although I was aware of nothing of a pathetic 
nature that had occurred, they were all in a melting 
mood. The dusky beauties have all the vanity of 
their sex in civilized lands, and since it is not the 
custom to break hearts and captivate the beaux with 
starch, rouge, and jewels, they make themselves form- 
idable by dyeing their lips, ornamenting their hair 
with horses' tails, and wearing a bewitching profusion 
of sharks' teeth round their necks. What a spectacle ! 
A belle of the first water with a necklace of sharks' 
teeth, and a horse's tail in her hair ! So much for 
fashion. They are quite as captivating, no doubt, 
to the Sowhelian beaux as all the fascinating gew- 
gaws of our ball-room coquettes are to the bandbox 
gentry with white kids. These Sowhelian " aggra- 
vators," as the elder Mr. Weller would call them, in- 
creased their natural charms by decorating themselves 
with prodigious earrings, weighing not less than half 
a pound each, and brass and iron bracelets on their 
wrists and ankles of corresponding dimensions. 
Such a sight in America would be looked upon as a 
satire upon vanity, and doubtless one of our belles 



A DIABOLICAL CONCATENATION. 405 

would smile with sovereign contempt at such an ex- 
hibition ; but is it more ridiculous than vanity in the 
higher walks of life 1 Women are the same all over 
the world. I have discovered that fact, at least, and 
that much information has been added to my stock 
of knowledge. 

The musicians were squatted in a corner of the 
hut, drumming and blowing like madmen. They 
seemed to me to have a savage grudge against their 
instruments, so furiously did they perform on them. 
It was laughable to see their earnestness. Their 
faces were fixed in one position ; their eyes rolling 
hither and thither ; the muscles of their faces work- 
ing, as if undergoing a galvanic process ; their necks 
stretched stock stiff; and their teeth clinched, as if 
in a desperate attempt to elicit something electrify- 
ing from the instruments. The music, if such it 
could be called, was the most diabolical concatena- 
tion of harsh discords I ever heard. It was simply a 
repetition of three or four notes on the zoomara, ac- 
companied by the bambooa and banjo, and the thun- 
dering applause of the drum. I was soon tired of 
the horrible din and confusion of the whole exhibi- 
tion, and I left them to the enjoyment of their sport, 
fully impressed with the conviction, that every spe- 
cies of human pleasure is simply the result of our 
ideas of pleasure ; for what was fun to the Sowhe- 
lians would have been hard labor to me. 

The Coolies, or slaves, who carry burdens, are by 
far the best dancers I have seen. Constant exercise 



406 CONDITION OF THE ARABS. 

gives them a grace of motion and freedom in their 
muscular action not possessed by any other class of 
natives on the island. From fifty to a hundred of 
them form setts every week in one of the public 
squares, and sometimes keep up the dance all night 
to the music of the zoomara and the roar of a dozen 
drums. They are stout, athletic, and well formed, 
and excel in feats of muscular activity. Their dances 
are carried on with great spirit, and consist of a 
variety of manceuvers, not unlike the Portuguese and 
Spanish country dances. 

Superstition, indolence, and bigotry have prevent- 
ed the Arabs from arriving at any high degree of pro- 
ficiency in the arts and sciences. Since the reign 
of Mohammed, they have dwindled down into com- 
parative insignificance. I speak of the Arabs of the 
present age ; far different are they from their fore- 
fathers, whose thirst for knowledge led them to make 
some of the most valuable discoveries on record. 
They have fallen low indeed, and are now little 
better than semi-barbarians. Other nations have 
come into existence, grown powerful, and attained 
the highest degree of civilization ; but the Arabs, un- 
der the influence of their religious prejudices, prohib- 
iting all the powers of reason ; turning a deaf ear to all 
argument: excluding the views and opinions of every 
other nation on earth ; and treating all human wis- 
dom as an innovation upon their doctrines, have 
slowly retrograded, till they now stand beyond the 
pale of civilization. Nature has not been sparing 



A MYSTERIOUS SERENADE. 407 

of her gifts to them. They are comely in form and 
feature, and possess naturally strong intellectual ca- 
pacities. It is to be regretted that they are so blind 
to their own powers. I have associated with many 
of them who possessed quick perceptive powers, a 
keen relish for information, and strong reasoning 
faculties combined with quiet humor. With a suit- 
able education, deprived of their fanaticism, con- 
vinced of their religious errors, and with some power- 
ful incentive to energy and action, the Arabs are ca- 
pable of arriving at a high state of perfection in 
literature and science. 

Jungle Dogs. — A very singular circumstance oc- 
curred shortly after I took up my quarters at the 
consul's. It made an impression on my mind that 
has not since been effaced. I slept in a large room 
in the front part of the house. On a fine moonlight 
night I was awakened by a low, dismal howl under 
one of the windows. Startling me from a sound 
sleep, it had something unearthly in it. I had hard- 
ly been well roused, when another howl, low and 
wild — entirely different from any canine sound I 
had ever heard before — broke upon the stillness of 
the night. Slowly and mournfully it died away. I 
listened for a moment, and it was repeated. Scarce- 
ly had the last faint echo died away, when there 
burst upon the night air a loud, full chorus of howls 
like a funeral wail, but so wild, sepulchral, and 
death-like, that I sprang from my catanda in affright, 
and ran to the window to see the cause of my 



408 JUNGLE DOGS. 

alarm. Much to my surprise, I discovered that a 
pack of jungle dogs, forty or fifty in number, had 
assembled in the street to serenade the consular res- 
idence. They were lean, ghostly-looking gentry 
with long ears, fierce eyes, and smooth brown coats. 
Unaccompanied as their voices were by instrumental 
music, and being rather uncultivated, the startling 
novelty of the serenade was easily accounted for. 
After favoring us with a few more airs of a similar 
plaintive nature, they quietly betook themselves to 
their homes in the jungle. I thought but little of 
this at the time, and had it then ended I should not, 
perhaps, have deemed it worth mentioning. Next 
morning, however, we discussed the matter at the 
breakfast-table. The consul spoke of it as some- 
thing quite as new to him as to me. He had never 
known the jungle dogs to come in a body, and act 
in this extraordinary manner before. That day I 
asked Sedeek, the consul's steward, what he thought 
was the cause of their mysterious visit. "Ah," said 
he, " somebody die soon. Dis always so, when man 
goin' to die. Dog come from jungle to tell him, so 
he be ready. Dog know plenty much. Arab man 
all tink dis true sign. . You find it so." 

Precisely at the same hour the next night, and for 
three nights in succession, these dogs set up their 
unearthly wail. One of the clerks, having no taste 
for such music, fired a pistol at them during their 
last serenade, and dispersed them, after which they 
did not return. 



SICK FRIENDS. 409 

Though no believer in omens, nor superstitions, 
in the general sense. of the term, I must confess the 
sequel to these nocturnal visits produced the most 
melancholy feelings. I walked down next morning 

to the house where Captain F 's men had died, 

and where two of the deserters from the Styx had 
for a week past been lying ill of a fever. In a 
sketch of the crew, I alluded to the tyrannical and 
brutal manner in which Thomas Vernon, a young 
man from Philadelphia, was treated. Driven, by the 
cold-blooded system of oppression invariably pursued 
by the captain, to desert, he was attacked by a fever 
soon after the Styx sailed, and, after dragging him- 
self from place to place, he at length found rest in 
the untenanted house which had been left vacant by 
the hand of death. The other deserter, Blair, was 
but slightly ill. I visited these men every day, and 
gave them all the medical advice I was capable of 
giving. Bill Mann took up his quarters with them, 
and attended to them with great kindness; and I 
had supposed their disease had taken a favorable 
turn, when, on the morning to which I refer, my 
hopes were disappointed. On entering the room 
which Bill made use of as a kitchen, I found the 
rough old tar sitting on a chest, with his arms cross- 
ed, and the tears streaming down his sunburned face. 
I knew too well the cause of his grief. I walked 
silently into Tom's room, and sat down on the ca- 
tanda. The body was covered. Removing the 
blanket, I gazed upon the face that but yesterday 

Fpf 



410 DEATH OF A SHIPMATE. 

had beamed with hope. It was pale, ghastly, and 
motionless. Poor Tom was no more. I learned 
from Bill, that previous to his death he had a pre- 
sentiment that he would never again see home, and 
he begged him to convey a message to his mother. 
Bill watched by him till he fell asleep, and then left 
him. Early in ihe morning, on entering the room, 
he found him lying with his face down, and one 
hand firmly grasped around his throat, while with 
the other the unfortunate young man had strangled 
himself. Thus died a victim of heartless tyranny. 
It may be a source of satisfaction to the captain of 
the Styx to know that Vernon spoke of the wrongs 
which had caused him to desert in a kind and for- 
giving spirit. He died in a strange land, far away 
from all who were dear to him. He was buried on 
the little island in front of the town, with no prayer 
but the natural offering of the few hearts that felt 
and regretted his untimely death. 

One word to the captain of the Styx ; and should 
this ever meet his eye, he will hardly pass it over. 
Look at the miserable death of a youth, who never 
offended and who freely forgave. He sleeps in 
peace after all your tyranny. Should you ever, in 
the course of your wanderings over the world, visit 
the desolate little island upon which he is buried, 
ponder over his solitary grave, and ask your heart, is 
it free from guilt ! Think of his wrongs ; his suffer- 
ings ; his yearnings for home, when there was no 
ministering angel to lend a helping hand ; his death, 
in the very morning of life — think of these ; but 



GLOOMY THOUGHTS. 411 

" Let not the vision of the murdered dead, 
The broken hearts that he has left behind, 
Disturb your joys.'' 

Go your way through life, spreading sorrow and 
desolation around you ; and, when your last hour has 
arrived, pray that God may be as forgiving to you as 
your victims have been ; pray that he may show more 
mercy to you than you have ever shown to others. 

Is it strange that, after this melancholy occurrence, 
depressed in mind, enervated in body, the death- 
scenes I had witnessed from day to day fresh in my 
memory, I should feel a superstitious dread of im- 
pending evil 1 Not that death is an evil, but it was 
with horror I thought of such deaths as I had seen : 
the raging fevers, the agonies, the momentary calm, 
and the passionate yearnings for the faces of beloved 
parents, sisters, or brothers. These circumstances, 
combined with the night-wailing of the jungle dogs, 
made me very gloomy and unhappy ; and I longed 
for the appearance of a vessel in which I might work 
my passage to some more civilized land, less fraught 
with scenes of distress and death. 

Practicing Medicine. — It is characteristic of all 
semi-barbarous nations, and has often been noticed 
by European and American travelers, that the superi- 
ority in education and intellect of white people 
causes them to be looked up to as possessing great 
powers over disease. At Madagascar and Johanna, 
I was beset by crowds of cripples, who, in piteous 
accents, begged me to relieve their sufferings. It 



412 HUNT FOR CURIOSITIES. 

was the same in Zanzibar. Scarcely a day passed 
that I was not called upon to administer some rem- 
edy for a fever or wound. One case that came un- 
der my observation was rather amusing, and I think 
a brief account of it will interest the reader. 

I had but a short time to spare, the brig Rolla 
being expected very soon from the Persian Gulf; 
and I wished to procure all the curiosities I could in 
that time. From my acquaintance with Rajab, I 
knew him to be a faithful guide. I therefore stated 
my wants to him, and he readily agreed to conduct 
me through the town ua search of curiosities. We 
first went to the shop of Aloo, a shell-merchant, 
where we spent an hour ransacking a large stock of 
shells. They were in a putrid state, and the smell 
was very offensive. I purchased a small collection 
of the most valuable, and then went in search of a 
spear. Rajab informed me that one of his neigh- 
bors had a very handsome one, and, if I would ac- 
company him home, he would engage to get it. A 
long walk through the dirtiest part of the town 
brought us to the door of a neat whitewashed house, 
upon which was written, in large letters, "Rajab, 
No. 1." Upon entering the front room, I was quite 
struck with the neatness and taste with which it was 
furnished. A rich carpet, a polished table, and the 
usual number of chairs, looking-glasses, &c, which 
make up the furniture of a snug Western log-cabin, 
evinced something of the civilized notions which 
Rajab had acquired in Salem. 



rajab's portrait. 413 

As I had often heard that Rajab had a very pretty 
sister, I was in no particular hurry to get the spear. 
My young host entertained me with an account of 
his reception in America ; his impressions on first 
seeing steam-boats and locomotives under way ; the 
curiosities he had seen in Boston ; and other topics 
of wonder which might be supposed to attract the 
attention of an Arab. He informed me, among other 
interesting items, that Mr. Sheppard, an artist of Sa- 
lem, had painted his portrait, and made him a pres- 
ent of it. On his return to Zanzibar he brought it 
home with him. His mother asked him what it 
was. "Dis me, modder," said Rajab; "dis all de 
same as my face." She looked at the portrait, and 
fell into a terrible rage ; abusing the artist in no 
measured terms for having transplanted part of her 
son's flesh and blood to the canvas. Rajab insisted 
that it was only paint. " No Rajab, sure 'nuff." But 
the old woman denounced the artist as a dealer in 
evil sciences, and protested her son could only re- 
gain the lost flesh, and whatever of his soul he had 
lost with it, by destroying the painting. This she 
forced him to do, much to his mortification ; for he 
was not a little vain of his appearance on canvas. 
I was heartily amused at the young Arab's account 
of his mother's superstition. 

" You sabbe medicine ?" asked Rajab, after a 
pause. 

" Yes, I savey a little." 

" You sabbe how to cure sore foot ?" 



414 A SORE FOOT, 

" What sort of foot ? and whose is it V s 

" It belong to my modder." 

" Well, I'll try, Rajab. Have you any sisters V 

" Yes, me got one sister here." 

" Is she married V 

" No ; suppose you look at my modder's foot, an' 
you 'fraid of my sister, I tell her go way." 

" Oh, no !" said I, laughing ; " don't trouble your- 
self about that, Rajab. I think I can stand it. I'll 
go in ; lead the way !" 

I had seen so few of the Arab females who merit- 
ed the praises bestowed upon them by travelers, that 
I was very anxious to have an opportunity of passing 
my judgment upon this belle. Following Rajab, he 
led me through several rooms to the piazza at the 
back part of the house. Seated on a low catanda 
were the old dame and her daughter, busily employ- 
ed making colored mats. I made my salaam to them, 
not with the grace of a Chesterfield, I confess, for 
my professional character was rather too new to sit 
comfortably upon me. My patient was all aback at 
the sudden apparition of a white man, and the daugh- 
ter blushed with embarrassment. She was really a 
modest, pretty girl, about eighteen years of age, with 
piercing black eyes, finely-rounded limbs, tapering 
arms, and hands that might be envied, for grace and 
delicacy of shape, by many a belle in our own land 
of beauty. Not wishing to increase her embarrass- 
ment by staring at her, I pretended to be very busily 
occupied with the old woman's foot ; but, I confess, 



AND A PAIR OF BLACK EYES. 415 

my eyes wandered slyly from time to time in the 
other direction. I explained to Rajab the nature of 
the wound, which was simply occasioned by a splin- 
ter, and gave him a verbal recipe for a poultice, with 
suitable directions for applying it. My patient was 
profuse in her expressions of gratitude, which were 
all Greek, or, rather, Arabic to me, till Rajab Angli- 
cized them. There was no plausible reason why I 
should prolong my stay ; still, when I looked upon 
the dark, expressive eyes of the Arab beauty, I could 
not help thinking how charming it would be to hear 
her sing 

" Go not yet, go not yet ; 

Linger yet a moment more. 
Something that I now forget, 
Would I whisper o'er." 

And when one anxiously wishes for little compli- 
mentary notices of this kind, how easy it is to per- 
suade himself that they are expressed by the eyes, if 
not by the tongue. I made up my mind that the 
expression of my charmer's eyes was peculiarly af- 
fectionate, and I " lingered a moment more." Ra- 
jab spoke to his sister, and she brought me a little 
stool about four inches high, upon which I attempt- 
ed, without looking very particularly at it, to seat 
myself. Deceived as to its height, I had the mis- 
fortune to turn a back somerset down a little slope 
in the yard, which occasioned a hearty laugh on all 
sides at my expense. Whether it was chagrin at 
my own awkwardness, or a sort of malicious criti- 



416 IN DANGER OF BECOMING A MOHAMMEDAN. 

cism, I was decidedly of opinion at that moment 
that young Arab ladies who chew betel-nut should 
not laugh ; it exposes the teeth, and shows the per- 
nicious effects of the juice. 

When the merriment of the fair damsel had sub- 
sided, she bounded away, and after a short absence 
returned with a plate of China oranges, dates, and 
bananas, doubtless to make amends for her unkind- 
ness in laughing at me. I ate sparingly of the fruits, 
and, having no excuse to remain any longer, took 
my leave. 

I did not fail to call twice or three times after 
this to see how my patient progressed, and to give 
Rajah professional instructions in the art of making 
poultices. Whether the old lady suspected that 
there were other attractions than her lame foot, or 
that the remedy was so scientific and intricate as to 
require the most skllilful preparation, I had no oppor- 
tunity of learning. At all events, I found her house 
so attractive, that, in order to avoid becoming a Mo- 
hammedan, I was obliged to discontinue my visits. 

June 14th, 1843. — An Auction. At the public 
bazar almost every thing is sold by auction. The 
principal traffic carried on between the natives is 
done in this way. An auction among the Arabs ! 
What a burlesque upon auctions ! Those who 
know the temperament of this race of people can 
form the best idea of the expedition with which such 
a sale is carried on here. 

The wreck of the brig Bogota was yesterday sold 



AN AUCTION. 417 

at auction to Mohammed Abdelkada for $1530, with 
all her spars, tackling, &c. Her provisions were sold 
in the same manner ; and her oil was stowed away at 
the consul's warehouse, to be sent home in the Rolla. 

Imagine a heterogeneous crowd of dusky mer- 
chants of every nation from this side of the Cape to 
China, gathered around a shriveled old Arab, the 
dallal, or auctioneer, who is flourishing a ratan, and 
shouting, in a mixture of Arabic and English, 

" How mucha 1 How mucha you gib for dis ? 
Very fine cask ! plenty good new ! Hein ? hein ? 
Realle humpsa (five dollars)—- realle humpsa ! realle 
humpsa !" 

" Sitta !" grunts a bidder, in a guttural voice ; but 
the dallal is, unfortunately, deaf. 

" Sitta — six !" roars the bidder in the ear of the 
dallal, who continues, at the highest pitch of his 
voice, " Realle humpsa ! realle humpsa ! humpsa !" 
and he raises his ratan. 

"Sitta!" shrieks the agonized bidder; upon 
which, finding he is not heard, he gives the dallal a 
thrust with his cane. 

" Hein \ hein 1 Realle sitta ! sitta ! sitta !" 

While he is edifying the crowd with his eloquence 
on this bid, the Banyans assemble behind some shed 
in the neighborhood and consult. A group of Arabs 
may be seen whispering together in another quarter ; 
then they pray a while ; then all go off and talk in 
pairs. Presently a few stragglers return, and some- 
body sings out, " Sebba !" (seven.) 

GG G 



418 ANOTHER BABEL. 

" Realle sitta ! realle sitta ! sitta ! sitta !" continues 
the dallal, drowning in his sharp cries every voice 
except his own. 

" Themama !" shouts a new bidder, before the last 
has been heard. 

" Tessa !" cries the other, forgetting, in the slow 
progress of thought, that the incorrigible dallal is 
still shrieking, " Realle sitta ! realle sitta !" 

Presently somebody gives the auctioneer a thump 
under the fifth rib. 

" Hein 1 hein V he cries, as if startled from a 
trance ; " who dat V and then all is confusion. The 
Banyans all come up ; the Arabs join ; the Sowhe- 
lese mingle in the crowd, and they all talk together. 
One has bid seven dollars ; he is now singing out, 
with all his might, " Asharra !" (ten). Another has 
just bid eight dollars ; a third has bid nine ; and it is 
not known precisely who bid, or what was bid. 
Then there is a grand clamor, a confusion of tongues, 
and a commingling of Mohammedan blessings and 
curses unparalleled. Mean time the dallal is busily 
engaged caning in the most unmerciful manner the 
article up for sale, said performance signifying that 
it is " knocked down." When asked how much he 
got for it, and who was the highest bidder, he is 
completely puzzled. Nobody knows, and in many 
cases it has to be sold over two or three times be- 
fore there can be a thorough understanding of the 
matter. 



GAMBLING. 419 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Gambling. — Horse-racing on the Nazee Moya. — Warlike Exercises. 
— Religious Customs. — Visit to the Interior of the Island. — An 
Oriental Scene. — Caravan. — Description of the Shambas. — Grand 
Dinner at Hadja Mouchad's. — Return to Town. — A Funeral. 

Show me a community in which gambling of 
some description does not prevail, and I will show 
you a singular anomaly in human nature. I had 
really hoped, when we crossed the meridional line 
which divides the Atlantic from the Indian Ocean, 
that I had seen the last of the vices of civilized 
lands. It was some consolation to look forward to 
the primitive simplicity of a people untarnished with 
the inordinate love of gain — content with the re- 
wards of labor, and virtuous even in their rudeness 
and ignorance. But such hopes were not destined 
to be realized. At Madagascar I found bankers, 
brokers, sharpers, speculators, and gamblers in every 
possible variety. At Johanna or Anzuan, an island 
inhabited by a race still farther removed from the 
contamination of the world, I found this class still 
more numerous. And now, after a sojourn of three 
months on the Island of Zanzibar, I am persuaded 
that the most inveterate gamblers upon the face of 
the earth are those of barbarous and demi-civilized 
nations. The passion of the Arabs for betting and 
horse-racing is without bounds. The highest offi- 



420 HORSE-RACING. 

cers of his highness the Sultan of Muscat are gam- 
blers and jockeys. I had often known men to gam- 
ble away in a single night all their property, but al- 
though I had read of such things, I never knew be- 
fore that a people existed who made a practice of 
betting away their wives and families. This extra- 
ordinary vice prevails to an incredible extent on the 
Island of Zanzibar. Gambling in all its forms is the 
ruling passion of the inhabitants. At any hour in 
the day groups of Arabs may be seen seated on their 
door-steps playing cards, dice, or other customary 
games. Every Friday afternoon there is a general 
turn-out for the Nazee Moya, or race ground, where 
the Arabs, Hindoos, and Persians have their horse- 
races. Here a stranger may enjoy an excellent op- 
portunity of seeing the different castes assembled in 
their various costumes. 

Accompanied by a friend, I walked out to this 
place one evening to witness a grand trial of speed 
between two Arabian and two Cutch horses. The 
principal part of the way, on leaving the town, is 
through a succession of Mohammedan grave-yards, 
making a curious contrast. Thousands of the in- 
habitants, of every caste and grade, from the opulent 
Hindoo to the degraded African, were hurrying 
through the avenues between the tombs, toward the 
scene of excitement. On the one hand was life, 
with all its restlessness and parade ; on the other, 
with its moldering monuments, death, the end of 
all upon earth. 



PICTURESQUE SCENE. 421 

It struck me as something singular, that although 
these races take place week after week, and year 
after year, there is no abatement to the eager interest 
with which they are carried on. So frequent a rep- 
etition of the same amusement would seem monot- 
onous; but gambling or racing can never become 
monotonous with the Arabs. The passion for the 
sudden acquirement of wealth without labor is in- 
satiable. 

On our arrival at the ground, we found the whole 
green, extending over an area of several miles, cov- 
ered with an immense concourse of people. I esti- 
mated the number present at'six or seven thousand. 
All were anxiously awaiting the commencement of 
the races. Groups of the various Indian castes were 
scattered over the side of a green slope in earnest 
conversation. The Banyans, with their tall red 
turbans; the Hindoos, with their loose pantaloons 
and long black beards ; the Parsees, with their square 
calico hats and tight coats; the Persians, few in 
number, but conspicuous, with their rich flowery 
costumes and flashy silk turbans; and here and 
there a dusky Belooche, gave a picturesque and an- 
imated appearance to the scene. For the most part, 
however, this heterogeneous concourse of people 
consisted of different tribes of Arabs, from the sultan 
and his officers down to the darkest Sowhelian or 
half-breed. Ahamet Bin Hamees, the sultan's sec- 
retary, with his suite of soldiers in red coats, was the 
observed of all observers. Next in order were the 



422 THE RACE-COURSE. 

officers of the court, the castle guard, the eunuchs in 
their plain brown gowns, and Arab merchants and 
tradesmen. By way of variety, there were Bedouin 
Arabs in their native costumes, Neguzzeyans, or 
natives of the Coniora Islands, Malegash, Sowheli- 
ans, and Coolies of every variety. And last in the 
list were the miserable African slaves, contrasting 
strangely with the pomp and display of their masters. 

The race-course is upon a clear strand formed 
by the rising and falling of the tide. At high tide 
N'Googa (the town and its environs) becomes an 
island, the neck, or isthmus, being cut off from the 
main island by the sea. A channel is thus formed 
varying from fifty to a hundred yards in breadth and 
about a mile in length. The course is upon the 
margin of this, and is a fine hard strand admirably 
adapted for the purpose. The spectators stand upon 
a beautiful green slope, studded with shrubs and co- 
coa-nut trees, which extends the whole length of the 
course. 

We took our stand on a little eminence about 
midway between the two extremities of this strand, 
a position which enabled us to see the horses under 
full speed. It also afforded us a grand bird's-eye view 
of the whole crowd and the neighboring scenery. 

About half an hour before sunset the races com- 
menced. Four magnificent horses entered the lists — 
two of the Arabian, and two of the Cutch breed. 
They had not the polish of our best racers in Amer- 
ica, but were finely modeled for fleetness, and of 



PERFECT TRAINING OF THE HORSES. 423 

uncommon muscular powers. One of the Cutch 
horses belonged to the British consul, and was 
mounted bj a Persian in the consul's service. A 
finer-looking rider I never saw. He was a tall, ath- 
letic man, beautifully formed ; and with his long, jet- 
black beard, dark, flashing eyes, and superb costume, 
made a striking show on horseback. The horse 
was a spirited animal of the purest Cutch blood, and 
the caparisons were singularly rich and becoming. 
The other horses were also fine animals, ornament- 
ed with gaudy trappings, and mounted by Arabs in 
the richest Arabian costume. 

At a given signal, away flew the competitors with 
astonishing speed. Two of the Arab riders were 
locked in a close embrace : a custom that would 
lead the unlearned spectator to fear that if the horses 
were not equally swift, either rider must be dragged 
from his seat. This, however, though I saw the 
same feat performed several times in succession, did 
not take place. The horses were trained so per- 
fectly as to understand precisely when they are ra- 
cing in partnership. 

The Persian curbed in his steed till his competi- 
tors were twenty yards in advance, a manceuver evi- 
dently designed to show his skill in horsemanship 
and the superior swiftness of the animal. At this 
moment he gave loose to the reins, applied his whip, 
and dashed like lightning after them. Now was the 
exciting crisis. They were within two hundred 
yards of the goal. On one side arose the deafening 



424 EXCITING SCENE. 

cheers of encouragement from the wavering con- 
course of Arabs ; on the other, the exulting shouts of 
the Hindoos and Banyans. High bets were made 
on the success of the Arabian horses ; others on 
their defeat, and the success of the Cutch racers 
The conflicting shouts of the different tribes — Hin- 
doos, Arabs, Sowhelese, and Africans — the waving 
mass of beings, heaving and swelling like an angry 
sea ; and the aerial lightness with which the horses 
swept over the strand, with the gaudy robes of the 
riders streaming behind and flashing in the sun- 
beams, were all novel and exciting. I shouted with 
the rest, and felt all the enthusiasm of victory, when 
the Persian, applying his whip with renewed vigor, 
passed his competitors. The yells of disappoint- 
ment and shouts of triumph were absolutely stun- 
ning when the Persian shot over the boundary line 
full three lengths ahead of the Arabs. It was worth 
a dozen races to see the proud, disdainful glance 
with which he regarded the dense crowd of Arabs 
along the course as he rode slowly back. 

There were several scrub-races, foot-races, and 
feats of activity after this, in all of which the Persian 
won new laurels. 

Toward dusk, as the crowd was about to dis- 
perse, we were all astonished by the sudden appear- 
ance of a buggy drawn by a white horse, and occu- 
pied by two gentlemen, who were amusing them- 
selves by driving over the beach on the opposite 
side of the channel. Nothing could equal the cries 






A NOVEL SIGHT. 425 

of astonishment as this novel vehicle cut through 
the water and dashed in among the crowd. It 
proved to be a buggy and horse which had just been 
received by Jeram Bin Seeva as a present from 
Bombay, and not knowing how to manage it, he had 
submitted it for experiment to the American consul 

and Captain W . Few of the natives had ever 

seen a vehicle of any description drawn by horses. 
Most of them scampered away, believing the island 
was in possession of the devil. Those who had 
been to Bombay remained, with loud cheers of ad- 
miration. Jeram himself, who* stood close by me, 
shook his head and muttered, " No good dis ; more 
better they send me something else. Plenty of devil 
come from dis." 

I returned to the consul's, highly amused at the 
various exhibitions I had seen. 

Warlike Exercises. — At stated periods through- 
out the year the natives have sham battles, which 
are carried on with great spirit, and not unfrequently 
with so much earnestness as to end in bloodshed. 
Some years ago, the Coolies, and lower classes of 
the citizens belonging to the different sections of 
the town, assembled at the appointed periods, under 
the names of the sections to which they belonged, 
such as Shonganeans, Bunganeans, Melindans, &c, 
and, armed with clubs, spears, and other weapons, 
fought in good earnest, sometimes slaying each other 
in great numbers. The nominal object of these 
meetings was to teach the youth of Tangila the use 
H H H 



426 WARLIKE EXERCISES. 

of warlike weapons, and by athletic and manly ex- 
ercises to make them formidable in battle. When 
first permitted by the sultan, they were conducted 
with great harmony and fairness. Divisions, how- 
ever, soon resulted from the victory of one side and 
the defeat of the other, or the superior skill of the 
natives of one part of the town over those of anoth- 
er. In the heat of these sham engagements acci- 
dental blows were given, which were revenged by 
the friends or relatives of such as were killed or se- 
riously injured. Parties were formed, and party an- 
imosity prevailed to "such a degree that every fight 
resulted in bloodshed. A civil war between the na- 
tives was rapidly springing into existence. So dead- 
ly and rancorous was their animosity against each 
other that they fought in the streets on every occa- 
sion. The sultan deemed the matter of sufficient 
importance to interfere, and lay down particular 
laws on the subject for their guidance. He also re- 
quired the attendance of a guard of his soldiers at 
the place of engagement, to preserve order and see 
that the strife was fairly conducted. This had a sal- 
utary effect in the beginning. The natives fought 
with more moderation, and no deaths occurred ex- 
cept by accident. In this way the entertainment 
continued a considerable length of time. The 
guard was discontinued, and the laws became relax- 
ed. Again jealousy and bloodshed were the results 
of every battle. The sultan came to the conclusion, 
that if people chose to slaughter each other, it would 



SHAM BATTLES. 427 

be ungenerous in him to deprive them of the enjoy- 
ment of their innocent propensities. Accidents were 
but excuses for murder and the gratification of re- 
venge. A native or party of natives who, in the or- 
dinary transactions of life, had sustained an injury, 
invariably found means to avenge all wrongs at these 
sham battles. The custom has continued so to the 
present time, with little modification. 

I witnessed several battles of this kind which 
took place in the public squares ; but as they were 
only preparatory to a grand exhibition of skill which 
was to come off in a few months, no deaths oc- 
curred. 

The contending parties meet in an open square, 
in any convenient part of the town agreed upon. 
A champion from each party, armed with a club, and 
naked to the waist, commences the engagement. 
After a trial of skill, in which some blows are given 
and parried off, much in the manner of the Irish 
fight with the shillelah, the combatants from each side 
rush in, and a general battle commences. Heads 
are broken, faces bruised, clubs dashed to pieces, and 
scores of the combatants stretched on the ground. 
Covered with dust and blood, and panting with ex- 
citement, they soon become a waving mass. Shouts 
and yells, the crash of clubs, and tramp of feet, are 
all that mark the fight. A cloud of dust covers the 
spot. Now a broken club whizzes past the specta- 
tor — now a defeated warrior staggers out of the 
crowd, reeking with sweat and besmeared with 



428 RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS. 

blood. Presently a deafening yell bursts upon the 
ear ; dozens of the combatants come flying out of 
the circle pursued by the victors, who dash madly af- 
ter them, flourishing their clubs, and shouting in tones 
of triumph. The first grand onset is over. Those 
who are most disabled retire a short distance from 
the scene of strife, and refresh themselves for anoth- 
er bout. This is sport at Zanzibar. 

Religious Customs. — If the ceremony of prayer 
be any evidence of piety, the Mohammedans are a 
truly pious race. At four o'clock every morning the 
Nazenee, or church-criers, station themselves on the 
roofs of the mosques, and in loud, shrill voices call 
the Mohammedans of the town to prayer. After 
this prayer they return to their beds and sleep till 
sunrise, when they have another at home prepara- 
tory to breakfast. Before dinner they pray again ; 
before supper, the same ; and once before they retire 
to bed — making in all five times. This is the inva- 
riable custom. A Mohammedan thinks it actually 
necessary to pray five times a day in order that his 
soul may reach Paradise. His conduct during the 
intervals has nothing to do with religion, provided 
he does not violate the laws of the Koran. Relig- 
ion and morality are with him entirely distinct 
matters. Want of one will ruin him ; want of the 
other is a matter of indifference. On this account 
he is extremely particular in the observance of the 
rules of his creed. Faith in them, and a strict re- 
gard to their performance, ease his conscience of all 



MANNER OF PRAYING. 429 

its burdens, and satisfy his mind in regard to the sal- 
vation of his soul. For an indolent people, addict- 
ed to vice, it is the most convenient and comfortable 
religion imaginable. 

The ceremonies are numerous and complicated. 
As a general rule, the Mohammedans remove their 
turbans, kneel with their faces toward Mecca, and 
bow their heads to the ground. This form of 
prayer they repeat at intervals of a few moments. 
They then stand, turn their faces toward the altar, 
and go through another portion of their prayer. All 
their motions are simultaneous. A row of fifty or 
sixty men with their bare heads to the ground has 
a singular appearance, and is rather calculated to 
excite mirth and ridicule, on the part of strangers, 
than feelings of reverence. Still they are quite as 
sensible as certain sects in our own country, whose 
religion consists in external pomp, and whose devo- 
tion is evinced rather by signs and ceremonies than 
charity of feeling, humility, and the natural and un- 
ostentatious offerings of the heart. 

June l&th, 1843. — Yesterday was a day of ex- 
citement and adventure, such as I have seldom en- 
joyed. The glowing descriptions given by many 
of my Arab friends, of the interior of the island, ex- 
cited my curiosity in the highest degree. I had for 
some time anxiously desired an opportunity to go on 
an exploring ramble ; but such were the feelings of 
animosity, on the part of the natives of the interior, 
toward the whites, occasioned by the murder of one 



430 VISIT TO THE INTERIOR. 

of the Sowhelese by an English sailor not long be- 
fore, that I deemed it prudent to go, if I could so ar- 
range it, in company with some of the white resi- 
dents. A party was at length made up, consisting 
of the United States consul, Mr. Tibbetts, Mr. 
Cloutman, and Mr. Jelly, three young gentlemen 
from Salem, Captain Webb, and myself, besides a 
number of trusty Arabs, and a retinue of Coolies to 
take care of our animals. Bright and beautiful was 
the morning of the seventeenth of June, the glorious 
anniversary of the Battle of Bunker's Hill. We were 
all up at the dawn of day, had an early breakfast, 
and were ready to start by sunrise. At the door 
of the United States consular residence was our car- 
avan, consisting of four or five horses, and about 
twenty Muscat donkeys, richly caparisoned with 
splendid Persian saddles, highly ornamented bridles, 
and gaudy cushions, each attended by a Cooly. 
The air was cool and bracing, and the whole party 
was in fine spirits. Our Mohammedan friends were 
in a glorious humor, capering and curveting with 
their spirited Arabian steeds, and exhibiting every 
symptom of eagerness to dash off through the orange 
groves and shambas* The donkeys, unlike our 
plodding, meditative, and matter-of-fact animals of 
that species, were full of mettle, and seemed to snuff 
the rich herbage of the jungle. It took us but a short 
time to mount; and, seated in the Arabian fashion, 
directly over the hind legs of our donkeys, away we 

* Plantations in the interior. 



AN ORIENTAL SCENE. 431 

dashed through the town, headed by the Moham- 
medans on their horses, and followed by crowds of 
boys. We soon passed through the Mohammedan 
grave-yards on the outskirts of the town and reach- 
ed the race-course. The sun was rising in all his 
splendor as we passed the Nazee Moya * -gilding the 
dewy shrubs with a sparkling light, and shedding a 
golden flood over the plains to our left. The scen- 
ery was truly Oriental. To the right was a row of 
tall cocoa-nut trees, extending nearly a mile along 
the beach, affording barely a glimpse of the ocean ; 
behind us was the town, with its mosques glancing 
brilliantly in the sunbeams, and the white houses 
reflecting the silvery rays; and toward the interior 
were grassy plains, interspersed with lagoons and 
jungles, bounded by a dense forest of cocoa-nut and 
orange groves. The air was deliciously fragrant 
with the perfume of wild flowers ; and the whole 
scene forcibly brought to my mind Southey's exqui- 
site picture : 

"What odors the voluptuous vale 
Scatters from jasmine bowers ; 
From yon rose wilderness, 
From clustered henna, and from orange groves, 
That with such perfumes fill the breeze !" 

The gambols of a group of camels, as they start- 
ed from the grass surprised at so early a visit ; the 
picturesque costume of the Arabs; their imposing 
appearance on horseback as they swept over the 

* Last cocoa-nut tree — a name given to a sand plain near the last 
cocoa-nut tree of a range commencing near the town. 



432 A DELIGHTFUL CHANGE. 

Nazee Moya ; the long train of donkeys, with their 
riders and gaudy caparisons ; the half-naked Coolies 
trotting along by our sides ; and the singular beauties 
of the scenery, all combined, had a peculiar effect 
upon my feelings. I was delirious with enthusiasm. 
Did I dream 1 Was I in reality in an Oriental land 
— the land of romance ? How strange, how delight- 
ful ! It was like the realization of the visions I had 
so often enjoyed while reading the Arabian Nights, 
or one of those enchanting pictures in Lalla Rookh. 
The beautiful princess was not there, but it requir- 
ed no stretch of imagination to find a Feramoez and 
a Fadladeean. After the miserable life I had led for 
nearly a year past, my heart was filled with pure 
joy, such as I had not experienced since I left the 
United States. It was with difficulty I realized so 
delightful a change. Applying the ratan to my 
donkey, I dashed on after the Arabs, soon leaving 
the main body of the party far behind. The animal, 
though small, was very ambitious, and his efforts not 
to be outdone by his rivals were rather amusing. 
In about twenty minutes we entered a path leading 
into the thickest part of the woods. Our course 
now lay through cocoa-nut groves and patches of 
jungle, still wet with the heavy night dews, and af- 
fording but a glimmer of the sun's rays. The densi- 
ty of the vegetation somewhat limited our equestrian 
feats, and the sharp, damp air began to reduce the 
temperature of our spirits, when, pushing through 
this labyrinth of trees and shrubs, we gained an 



SCENIC PANORAMA. 433 

opening, from which we enjoyed a most delightful 
prospect. The sun had burst through a mass of 
golden clouds, and a flood of dazzling light illumi- 
nated every object. Flowers, shrubs, and trees spar- 
kled in its beams. Before us was a magnificent 
scenic panorama, consisting of wood-land, patches 
of meadow, lagoons, clove plantations, animated by 
groups of slaves with their turbans and curious cos- 
tumes, driving herds of cattle from the jungles, and 
the joyous carol of the wood-land minstrels. Here, 
casting my eye in the rear, I perceived our caravan 
just emerging from the woods, and presently the 
merry shouts of our party came ringing over the 
copses. The singular and imposing appearance of 
the Mohammedans, who led the way, and the long 
procession of slaves, boys, donkeys, and riders, had 
a peculiarly romantic effect. 

An hour's ride over undulating paths, and through 
many varieties of trees, groves, and jungle, brought 
us to the shamba of Mohammed Abdelkada, a rich 
planter, whose farm is delightfully situated on the 
side of a gentle eminence about five miles from 
N'Googa. We were agreeably surprised to find a 
delicious repast already prepared for us, under the 
shade of two wide-spreading mangroves. Abdelka- 
da's slaves had given their master warning of our 
approach, and every preparation for our reception 
that the time would permit was accordingly made. 
After our ride nothing could have been more appro- 
priate and acceptable than Abdelkada's refreshing 

In 



434 PLANTATIONS. 

sherbet, the delicious oranges fresh from the tree, the 
chalottes, bananas, cooling water-melons, and in- 
comparable lemonade. Oar Arab host was all at- 
tention, hospitality, and talk, and each of us had no 
less than three or four slaves to keep the flies off, 
and pass round the refreshments. 

These shambas, or plantations, are, for the most 
part, owned by wealthy Arabs, who not unfrequently 
possess two or three hundred slaves. When it is 
taken into consideration that a slave here is not 
worth more than ten dollars, and can be purchased 
on the coast at a much lower price, this part of the 
property will not appear so imposing. In general, 
these slaves are treated with great kindness by their 
masters, and do less work, on an average, in a month 
than a Mississippi slave does in a week. Indolence 
on the part of the master begets indolence on that 
of the slave. Activity and energy are by no means 
characteristic traits of either master or slave. Still, 
Nature has been so bountiful in this part of the world 
as to leave man but little to do in the cultivation 
of the soil. Vegetation here flourishes to an extent 
that all the toil and labor bestowed upon less favor- 
ed soils can not produce. It has been wisely ordain- 
ed that where the climate is adverse to great phys- 
ical exertion, the wants of man are more easily sup- 
plied than in other parts of the world differently cir- 
cumstanced. 

In extremely cold regions it requires constant ex- 
ertion to obtain the means of subsistence ; but hu- 



INDOLENCE OF THE NATIVES. 435 

man nature could not endure that fatigue in an un- 
healthy tropical climate. The natural indolence of 
the natives of Zanzibar, resulting from these causes, 
precludes them from the enjoyment of many com- 
forts which have been thrown within their reach. A 
slight knowledge of the properties of the soil and 
the agricultural art would enable them, by very little 
exertion, to live in the enjoyment, not only of the 
comforts, but of the luxuries of life. Still, as their 
mode of living has always been different from ours, 
and their manners and customs are founded on pecu- 
liar religious notions, they no doubt enjoy what they 
conceive the greatest of all comforts and luxuries, in 
the gratification of their passions and undisturbed in- 
dolence. What we would consider an easy and ra- 
tional mode of bettering our condition and minister- 
ing to our social and moral enjoyments, they would 
regard as severe and unnecessary labor. I was nat- 
urally led to these reflections by all that fell under 
my observation at the shamba of Mohammed Abdel- 
kada. With a plantation of the richest soil, and a 
sufficient number of slaves to cultivate it to the high- 
est possible degree by three or four hours' labor a day 
under proper management, he lives in a dilapidated 
bamboo hut little better than those of his slaves, raises 
every year a small crop of moho go-root, and a few 
piculs of cloves, and ekes out a monotonous exist- 
ence, the sole enjoyment of which is eating, drink- 
ing, sleeping, and praying : such are the habits, and 
such is the life of an Arab. He has an unconquer- 



436 VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. 

able aversion to physical exertion, and is never so 
contented as when idle. The soil of Zanzibar is 
not only rich ; it is rank with vegetable aliment. 
In most parts of the island it is of a sandy quality. 
The nocturnal saturations of dew, impregnated with 
strong creative properties, which keep it continually 
moist, peculiarly adapt it to the vegetable products 
of the East. Orange groves, plantains, bananas, 
and other fruits, grow in abundance without any cul- 
tivation. The clove plantations, which somewhat 
resemble young peach orchards, the trees averaging 
from fifteen to eighteen feet in height, and being set 
out in regular rows, require but little care after the 
labor originally bestowed upon them in the planting. 
They yield abundant and profitable crops ; and so 
well adapted is this climate to their development, that, 
I was assured by the American consul, Zanzibar is 
capable of supplying the whole world with this ar- 
ticle of trade. The sugar-cane is raised on many 
of these shambas, and with very little labor the na- 
tives are enabled to supply themselves plentifully with 
an excellent quality of sugar. His highness, the 
imaum, has now in progress a sugar manufactory on 
his shamba, under the management of two English 
engineers, who have just arrived with the necessary 
materials for constructing the works. Coffee, of a 
medium quality, is also raised here. It can be im- 
ported so cheap, however, from other parts of the 
sultan's dominions, that little attention is bestowed 
upon its cultivation. Cassada and rice, being the 



COTTON. 437 

chief articles of provision consumed by the slaves, 
are produced in large quantities. Ploughs are not 
used in the cultivation of the soil, and the only ag- 
ricultural implements I saw were rude spades, pick- 
axes, and hoes. From their ignorance of the agri- 
cultural arts, twice as much labor is required to ef- 
fect what could be done in half the time, and with 
less exertion. As I observed before, the slaves do 
not work hard. Little is required of them by their 
masters. Still, that little could be done more effect- 
ively, and with greater ease, if they had even a smat- 
tering of agricultural knowledge. I have seen slaves 
squatted on their haunches, planting cassada with old 
knives, by means of which they did about as much 
in a week as could be done in a day by a Kentucky 
negro. 

The climate and soil are admirably adapted to the 
growth of cotton. It is not a little singular that the 
Arabs will purchase cotton fabrics imported from the 
United States at an exorbitant advance on the cost, 
when, by importing a few Yankee mechanics and 
an overseer from our Southern plantations, they could 
soon raise and manufacture more than would be nec- 
essary for their own consumption at half what they 
now pay. I saw several specimens of cotton pro- 
duced in small quantities for experiment, and they 
were certainly equal to any I had ever seen in Mis- 
sissippi or Louisiana. But what can be expected of 
a race who are degraded to the dust by superstition 
and religious intolerance ? 



438 MOHAMMED ABDELKADA. 

In general, the land is level — in part moderately 
undulating. There are several small springs scatter- 
ed over the island, which supply some of the planta- 
tions. The chief dependence, however, is upon 
wells. Owing, perhaps, to the scarcity of rock, the 
water is in no part of the interior of a good quality. 
Chim-chim, the source of the creek called Metoney, 
affords the best. All the water I could get at the 
shambas was discolored with insects and vegetable 
matter, and it was only when compelled by sheer 
necessity that I drank it. 

Our worthy host, Mohammed Abdelkada, treated 
us to the best of every thing he had, and provided 
us with catandas, upon which we stretched ourselves, 
shaded from the sun s rays by the thick foliage of the 
mango trees, and enjoyed a refreshing siesta. 

We remained here, enjoying the courtesies of our 
hospitable friend, about two hours, when we again 
mounted and proceeded toward the shamba of Hadja 
Mouchad, a wealthy Arab merchant from Muscat. 
As we advanced still farther into the interior the 
vegetation became more dense, and in luxuriance sur- 
passed any thing I had ever dreamed of, even in a 
tropical country. It did not surprise me that the 
malaria arising from a flat country rank with vege- 
tation should be so fatal to the health. After a ride 
of about three miles through a tract of country dif- 
fering only in this respect from what we passed 
through before we reached Mohammed Abdelkada's, 
we arrived at the fine plantation of Hadja Mouchad. 



HADJA MOUCHAD. 439 

In common with others who have performed a 
pilgrimage to Mecca and thrown stones at the dev- 
il,* our friend had earned for himself the distinguish- 
ed title of one of the sacred Hadji, which he had 
prefixed to his name in commemoration of the event. 
He is a diminutive and shriveled old man, with scarce- 
ly breath enough left in him, from fevers and age, to 
sustain life. On important occasions he officiates in 
the town as dallal, or public auctioneer. He had 
received intimation of our contemplated visit, and 
hospitality being one of the cardinal virtues with the 
Arabs, our reception was as cordial as we could de- 
sire. Slaves were in attendance to assist the Coolies 
in taking care of our animals, and, on dismounting, 
we found a great variety of refreshments already pre- 
pared for us. Every thing was in the true Oriental 
style — fruits, sherbet, lemonade, and Mocha coffee 
in abundance. We found the refreshments extreme- 
ly palatable after our ride, for the sun had now near- 
ly reached its zenith, and its rays poured down 
through every opening in the woods with a scorching 
heat, raising the thermometer fifteen or twenty de- 
grees in the shade in the course of a few hours. 
Mouchad's house was large, and superior in every 
respect to that of Mohammed Abdelkada's, and, in- 
deed, he seemed to have some idea of the true prin- 
ciples of comfort. The main building was con- 
structed of wooden stakes interwoven with cane, then 

* This is an important ceremony, which all pious pilgrims perform 
for the benefit of the Prophet. 



440 A WELL-ARRANGED SHAMBA. 

plastered and whitewashed. The roof was compos- 
ed of cocoa-nut leaves closely matted, and formed 
quite a shelter from the sun, though in rainy weather 
it could not be of much avail. At the back of the 
house were several sheds, which were used as kitch- 
ens, and in front was an inclosure of several acres, 
delightfully shaded by large mango trees. A row of 
neat whitewashed cabins within twenty or thirty 
yards of the front door, at the edge of the inclosure, 
was occupied by slaves, who peeped from behind the 
door in ill-concealed amazement. The whole scene 
forcibly reminded me of an inferior negro quarter in 
Mississippi. Some attempts at ornaments were ex- 
hibited in the arrangements ; of the orange groves 
near the house. A glimmering of civilized taste was 
also to be seen in the cultivation of a garden, which 
contained a variety of beautiful tropical flowers, and 
had paths through it at regular intervals. 

The older portion of our party went under the 
shade of a piazza, and stretched themselves in a 
range of catandas (bamboo bedsteads) for a siesta, 
while Mr. Jelly, Mr. Tibbits, and myself rambled 
over toward a neighboring shamba to enjoy a smoke 
and a social talk out of the atmosphere of official 
discipline. Pushing our way through grove and jun- 
gle, we reached an opening distant about half a mile 
from Mouchad's shamba, interspersed with orange 
trees, plantain, and banana. The profusion of fruit 
here was beyond conception. The trees were actu- 
ally bending with their golden-colored freight, and 



PROFUSION OF FRUIT. 441 

under them the ground was covered with the most 
delicious oranges of every species. So abundant 
were they, that for more than an hour we amused 
ourselves throwing them at the cocoa-nuts, which 
hung temptingly from the tall trees in every direction. 
Tired of our sport, we lay down under the cooling 
shade of a group of mango-trees, and smoked cigars, 
and talked of our sweethearts at home till we fell 
asleep. Our slumbers were soon disturbed by a loud 
voice shouting " Yahoo I yahoo I American man ! 
Dinner ready I yahoo /" 

This important notice caused us to jump to our 
feet, and make all possible haste back to Mouchad's 
shamba. We received a reprimand from our friends 
on our arrival for keeping them waiting so long, and 
were duly repentant for our transgression. Present- 
ly Mouchad led the way into the house, telling us, 
" Dinner no very good ; more better next time ; but 
eat plenty much now, and he give us first-rate din- 
ner when we come again." The excuses, however, 
were not necessary, for we found the dinner very 
creditable to the good taste and hospitality of the 
venerable pilgrim. A long table was set in the mid- 
dle of the room, with a white cloth, and knives, 
plates, and spoons arranged as near in the Amer- 
ican style as could have been expected from an 
Arab. The table groaned with the profusion of 
meats, vegetables, and fruits, all prepared in the 
Arabian style with sweetmeats and richly-perfumed 
sauces. The incense arising from the dishes almost 

K K K 



442 A SUMPTUOUS DINNER. 

deprived me of my appetite ; but as soon as I tasted 
the delicious curry, drank a glass of sherbet, and ate 
a few cassada, I found that I had a fair prospect of 
making a good dinner. The meats were cooked in 
sugar-juice, and served up in a mixture of gravy and 
sirup ; and mere taste quite satisfied me that this 
style of preparing flesh is not an improvement on 
ours. There was an abundance of rice, spices, 
pickles, cakes, and bread, which I relished highly ; 
and we had wines of a very good quality. The 
Arabs, meantime, leaving us to the enjoyment of our 
dinner in our own way, ranged themselves under 
the piazza, and squatting down around a large dish 
of rice, ate their simple meal in theirs. Our sump- 
tuous repast over, we sallied out to enjoy the shade 
of the mangroves. An agreeable surprise awaited 
us. Under the largest and most shady of the trees 
was a table containing a dessert of the choicest 
fruits, and a service of China cups and saucers for 
coffee. At a signal from Mouchad, a train of slaves 
appeared bearing various other refreshments. I had 
never tasted any thing to equal the coffee. It was 
the pure Mocha, boiled down to a rich essence, and 
was so strong that a single cup produced a sort of 
enchanting excitement, like the celestial dreams of 
the opium-eater ; and no doubt would, if freely re- 
peated, prove equally disastrous in its consequences. 
Mouchad entertained us with an account of his pil- 
grimage to Mecca, and when he had concluded we 
had several patriotic sentiments in commemoration 



A GORGEOUS SCENE. 443 

of the battle of Bunker's Hill. It was not a little 
singular, that while we were thus celebrating that 
memorable event, our friends in the United States — 
equally enthusiastic in the cause of liberty — equally 
devoted to the memory of their forefathers — were 
dozing away in their beds, heedless of all the tri- 
umphs and glories of their country ! One of the 
party, a wag, who had very gravely broached this 
fact, nearly incurred the displeasure of the rest of 
the company by his comments upon the want of 
patriotism in America, when he explained himself 
by reminding us that we were eight hours nearer 
sunrise than the people in the United States ! Con- 
sequently, it was quite natural to presume that they 
were asleep while we were commemorating an im- 
portant event in our national history. 

I shall not torture the reader by dwelling upon all 
the good things we enjoyed at the shamba of our 
kind entertainer. Such rarities, scenes, and adven- 
tures hardly admit of description. 

In the cool of the evening we bid adieu to our 
worthy friend Hadja Mouchad, and had a pleasant 
ride to the Nazee Moya. When we reached this 
place the sun was just setting, and if I were to live 
for centuries I could not forget the gorgeous splendor 
of the scene. Such a continuation of clouds, colors, 
and shades as hung over the western horizon, softly 
reflected in the ocean, can only be seen in an Ori- 
ental sky. A golden haze gave the dreamy appear- 
ance of a vision to the mosque steeples in the dis- 



444 FUNERAL PROCESSION. 

tance, and beautifully illuminated the windows. The 
tall cocoa-nut trees on the summit of a little emi- 
nence that intervened added much to the scenic 
beauties of the view ; and the white sand plains of 
the Nazee Moya before us, contrasting with the 
deep green shrubberies around the Mohammedan 
burial-grounds, had a magnificent effect. As we 
wended our way among the tombs, the wail of death 
arose upon the breeze. In a few minutes we met a 
long funeral procession, bearing the bier of a young 
Arab who had died that morning. The young 
girls were chanting a melancholy requiem, and an 
aged woman, who walked beside the bier, clapped 
her hands, and with frantic expressions of grief la- 
mented the deceased. He was her only son ! 

" Oh, 'tis hard to lay into the earth 
A countenance so benign ! a form that walk'd 
But yesterday so stately o'er the earth!" 



CHAPTER XX. 

Arrival of a Brig from the Persian Gulf. — A Whaling Skipper. — 
Suspense. — Arrangements for a Passage Home. — Departure from 
Zanzibar. — Passage round the Cape of Good Hope. 

Toward the latter part of July, the brig Rolla, of 
Salem, owned by the firm of Pingree & Co., and 
commanded by Captain P , arrived from Mus- 
cat, whither the American consul had sent her two 



ARRIVAL OF THE ROLLA. 445 

months previously to procure a portion of her cargo. 
The officers and crew were in good health, but had 
suffered severely by heavy gales to the northward, 
and had much difficulty in working down to Zanzi- 
bar in consequence of head winds. From Muscat 
they were compelled to run out as far east as the 
Laccadive and Maldive Islands, and then tack to the 
west. The chief part of the cargo procured at Mus- 
cat consisted of goat-skins and hides, which had been 
purchased from the natives by Syed Bin Calfaun, the 
commercial agent at the port of Muscat. 

The Rolla, on her arrival, commenced taking in 
the remainder of her cargo (gum copal and ivory 
teeth), and underwent some repairs. Arrangements 
were made to ship home the oil which had been 
saved from the wreck of the brig Bogota, and pass- 
ages were provided for the survivors, now reduced 
to four ; the rest having all died of fever, with the 
exception of the cook, who had shipped on board 
the Styx in place of Bill Mann. 

I was in a state of painful suspense about getting 
home in this vessel. Some of my friends said I 
would be allowed to go in her; others, that I would 
be kept until the next opportunity, which, very prob- 
ably, would be in about six months. The consul 
said nothing on the subject, and I feared my prospects 
might be destroyed by any importunity on my part. 
In this unpleasant situation I remained two weeks, 
when, one morning, the consul told me the cargo of 
the Rolla was nearly all on board, and she would 



446 OBTAIN A PASSAGE HOME. 

sail in a few days. He had made arrangements for 
my passage home. I was to assist in the ordinary 
work necessary to be done on board, stand regular 
watches, and have a bunk in the state-room with 
the second mate, with whom I was also to eat. A 
young man, named Cloutman, who had been in the 
employ of Captain Webb as a clerk, was to go 
home in the same way, and to have share of Captain 
F 's state-room. This was entirely to my satis- 
faction ; and so delightful was the idea of a pleasant 
passage home that I thought every day a week, and 
had many misgivings that my good luck was too 
rare to be realized. An opportunity of getting home, 
under any circumstances, I would have joyfully 
seized; but, with a party of lively and agreeable 
companions, it was beyond my most sanguine hopes. 
I had formed quite an attachment to young Clout- 
man. He was a brave and clever little fellow, who 
had spent several years at sea, and had passed through 
many dangerous adventures. His mind was stored 
with anecdotes of the sea, and the toughest kind of 
old sailor yarns ; and these he could spin with an ir- 
resistible humor. In size, manner, and liveliness of 
disposition, he strongly resembled my favorite on 
board the Styx, Charley Clifford. It was, therefore, 
with no little joy I learned he was to be my fellow- 
passenger on a homeward voyage of three or four 

months. Captain F ,. of the brig Bogota, the 

only other cabin passenger, was also a man well cal- 
culated to make the voyage pleasant. He was cer- 



A WHALING SKIPPER. 447 

tainly the best specimen of a whaling captain I ever 
knew, and in manner and personal appearance the 
greatest oddity. I first met him at Johanna, where 
he had a difficulty with the Portuguese on board the 
Bogota. Armed with a handspike, he sprung in 
among the mutineers, and in less than two minutes 
quelled the mutiny. The next time I met him was 
after the wreck of the Bogota. He had come into 
the consul's office to make arrangements for the sale 
of the hull. There were several persons in the room, 
among whom were the consul and his brother, Cap- 
tain Webb, Captain Hamilton, and the commander 
of a merchantman from the Cape of Good Hope. 
The whaling skipper was a little abashed at this ar- 
ray of high characters, and, hardly knowing what to 
say, he turned to the consul, and observed, 
" Mister, do you know Joe Dunbar ?" 
" Joe Dunbar ! who is he ? I never heard of him." 
« Why, Captain Joe Dunbar ; I sailed with him." 
" You did 1 Well, sir, I don't know him." 
" Now, I'll swa'n, that's tarnal strange. You don't 
know old Joe Dunbar of New Bedford, the smartest 
whaleman that ever handled a lance 1 Well, I'll be 
darned ! Gentlemen, don't none o' you know him?" 
" No, sir ; never heard of him." 
" Well, by thunder ! that beats all. I thought 
every body knew old Joe Dunbar." 
" Why, what of him 1" 

" Oh, nothin' ; only he made a fortune in the whaling 
business. He's a rich man now." 



448 " OLD JOE DUNBAR." 

The puzzled dignataries looked at each other, 
whether the captain was quizzing them, or deranged ; 
but finding him perfectly serious, they said nothing. 
Taking advantage of their silence, he began a long 
yarn, in which he gave an account of " old Joe Dun- 
bar's" voyages to the Northwest Coast, and was just 
entering upon a marvelous yarn in relation to the 
capture of a white whale, when the consul cut him 
short by saying, 

" We'll attend to that some other time. This is 
the place for business, not talk." 

" Oh, sir," said the disconcerted skipper, " I didn't 
mean to intrude. I just wanted to tell you about 
old Joe Dunbar ; 'cos, if you don't know him, you 
had oughter know him. There ain't a chap in New 
Bedford knee high that don't know old Joe Dun- 
bar." 

After this we invariably called the captain "Joe 
Dunbar," a name which he bore during the whole 
passage home. Captain F was a comical mix- 
ture of good nature, simplicity, natural smartness, and 
ignorance of the world. He had been in the whale 
fishery from the age of sixteen, and had been ship- 
wrecked times innumerable. In his personal appear- 
ance he was a perfect curiosity, being only five feet 
in height, built like a monkey, and with whiskers 
that covered his entire face, leaving only a couple 
of holes to peep through. He was very active, full 
of spunk and talk, and altogether the most amusing 
character I became acquainted with in the course 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 449 

of my wanderings. So much for my fellow-passen- 
gers. 

August. 10th. — Light breezes from the S.S.W. 
Hove short at daylight, and at five o'clock A.M. 
beat out to the southward. At eight we were up 
with Choomba, and at ten duallee bore due east. 
At twelve it fell calm, and so continued till dark, 
when a light breeze sprang up, and we set all 
sail. 

August 11th. — Beating down along the coast of 
Africa. Passed Hwala, Hoi-hoi, and a number of 
smaller islands, during the day. At dark, very squal- 
ly to windward. 

August 12th. — A fresh southern breeze. Still 
squally to windward. At four P.M. Zanzibar in 
sight from the top-sail-yard. Got the anchors in, 
and unbent the chains. In the evening, made a sail 
to leeward on the opposite tack. 

We continued to make good headway to the 
southward and eastward till 

August 21st, when the wind fell away. Toward 
noon a light breeze sprang up, when we tacked to 
the southward and westward. At daybreak a barque 
and ship were in sight, one on the lee beam and the 
other ahead. At ten A.M. we were boarded by a 
boat's crew, under the command of the chief mate, 
from the ship Fenelon, of New Bedford, Hathaway 
master, one year out. Learned from the mate that 
the boat's crew, who had arrived at Zanzibar about 
a month previously, had deserted from a whaler at 

L L L 



450 HEAD WINDS. 

Johanna, the commander of which had since had 
his leg broken by a whale. 

From this date to the 17th of September we had 
rough weather and head winds. In the early part 
of the month we were driven by strong currents and 
head winds into the Bay of Sofala, and had much 
difficulty in beating out again to the eastward. 

Off the Banks of Lagullas we hove to, and fished 
for cod, but without success. Found bottom at sev- 
enty fathoms. 

September 20th, made Table Mountain, Cape of 
Good Hope, distant four or five leagues. Here we 
took the S.E. trades, and in a few hours were " roll- 
ing down for St. Helena." 



CHAPTER XXL 

Make St. Helena. — Preparations to go Ashore. — Dinner at the Con- 
sul's. — White Ladies. — A Whaling Captain. — Love and Music. 
— Visit to Napoleon's Tomb. — Politeness of a Yamstock. — Anec- 
dote of a Frenchman. — Departure from St. Helena. 

September 29th, 1843. 

1 passed a restless night, thinking of Napoleon 
and St. Helena. The long-wished-for time had 
nearly arrived when my ardent desire to visit the 
tomb of the exile was to be gratified. At the dawn 
of day I was on deck, peering through the gray at- 
mosphere to get a glimpse of the island. There 



ISLAND OF ST. HELENA. 451 

was a dark bank of clouds ahead, hanging over the 
horizon, toward which all eyes were directed. It 
was too vague and undefined, even through the spy- 
glass, for land ; yet we knew that it enveloped the 
island. About sunrise the captain went to the mast- 
head, and in fifteen minutes the joyful cry of " Land 
ho !" saluted our ears. All hands were on deck in 
an instant. The clouds soon cleared away, and the 
rugged outline of St. Helena became visible. Noth- 
ing was talked of at breakfast but "going ashore," 
"rigging up," "the counsel's daughters," "a cruise 
up town," &c. Every one was on the tiptoe of ex- 
pectation. The hands had some warm disputes 
about the watch that was to go ashore and the date 
of Napoleon's death. Old John, the Frenchman, 
was in ecstasies, jabbering French, dancing, and 
shouting " Vive l'empereur !" At ten A.M. the jag- 
ged rocks, and the deep ravines between them, could 
be seen off deck. By twelve we were close upon 
the southeastern part of the island, and in an hour 
more the valley of Jamestown began to open to our 
view. In passing the ravines between the high rocks 
we had some of those severe gusts against which 
Horsburg cautions mariners to be on the look-out. 
We were obliged, on two or three occasions, to drop 
the top-sails on the caps, and clew up the main and 
fore sail. The top-gallant-sails were furled, and the 
colors hoisted on the mizzen-peak and main-royal. 
At two P.M. we cast anchor a few cables' lengths 
off the pier. There were in port a Dutch merchant- 



452 DINNER AT THE CONSUL'S. 

man from Batavia, two slavers which had just been 
captured, and a vessel in quarantine. The United 
States consular agent, Mr. Carroll, accompanied by 
the colonial doctor, visited us immediately. Cap- 
tain P , Captain F , and myself were po- 
litely invited to the consular residence, which Mr. 
Carroll requested us to make our home during our 
stay. Having heard much of the beauty and accom- 
plishments of his daughters, I was not at all back- 
ward in accepting the invitation, nor did the two 
skippers show any disinclination to take advantage 

of the proffered courtesy. Captain P very 

kindly provided me with some " go-ashore" clothes, 
which he called " long-togs," but I could not clearly 
see the appropriateness of the title ; for the captain 
being a short, thick man, and I tall and slim, the 
idea occurred to me that "short-togs" would have 
been much nearer the mark. We all went ashore, 
with the consul and the doctor, in the brig's jolly- 
boat. 

An excellent dinner was prepared for us at the 
consul's, which, being unusually palatable to us from 
its novelty, we devoured with no ordinary relish. 
Nevertheless, I. felt very awkward seated at a well- 
furnished table, with a knife and fork in my hand, 
and the bright eyes of several ladies upon me. 

In the course of the afternoon Captain F and 

I set out to explore the town. Strolling down the 
principal street, I spied a young lady seated at the 
window of ,a handsome private residence, very in- 



GET CAPTIVATED. 453 

tently engaged with her needle. Any thing white, 
after my long cruise, was truly refreshing to my 
eyes ; and I unconsciously gazed at her with an earn- 
estness that she might have mistaken for rudeness, 
had she noticed it. She was really a most beautiful 
girl, with jet-black hair, a clear white skin, and a 
killing witchery in the exquisitely-rounded outline 
of her form. The captain, notwithstanding the 
hearty dinner he had just eaten, had been boring 
me for some time to go to a chop-house or bake- 
shop to help him to eat something. Wishing to 
stop his voice, for it might have been heard from the 
mast-head of a whaler, I begged him to notice what 
a lovely girl was at the window ogling him. By 
this time, attracted by our voices, she had raised 
her head, probably to ascertain the subject of our 
consultation. 

"Drot the girl! Let's get something to eat. I'm 
hungry as the devil !" replied the captain, in a loud 
voice. 

" But, captain, my dear sir, not so loud. She'll 
hear you," whispered I, very much alarmed. 

" Yes, I will. I'm hungry as a horse, I tell you. 
Come, B , let's go to a bake-shop and get some- 
thing to eat." 

I endeavored in vain to bring his voice within 
moderate bounds; for not only the young lady, 
whose beauty had captivated me, but the public in 
general, turned to see the hungry strangers. At this 
moment there was a dapper-looking negro passing 
up on the other side of the street. 



454 A HUNGRY WHALER. 

" Sail ho !" shouted the captain ; " avast there, 
darkee ! I say, moonshine, can't you show us where 
to find a bake-shop V 

" What you call 'um, sare I" 

" A bake-shop ; don't you savey, you Portuguese 
snow-ball I" 

" Oh yes, sare, I savey — beeg shop. Plenty beeg 
shop about here." 

" No, no, you dunce ! A bake-shop, where they 
sell bread !" 

"Ah! dat w'at you want. Yes, sare, I direct 
you." 

" Be quick, then ; for I'll be d d if I've seen 

one since I've been in town. This is an infernal 
hole. There ain't nothin' in it. Why, at the Sand- 
wich Islands, you can go to apoolfaree and get what 
you want ; it don't make no odds what it is, from 

fried ham up to punkin pie. Come, B , what 

the nation are you gallied at ?" 

"Nothing; I'm not hungry, captain," said I, en- 
deavoring to get him away as speedily as possible. 
However, he steadily refused to move an inch till he 
knew what I was " gallied" at. I insisted that I was 
by no means gallied, though I was considerably 
struck. 

" Od rot it !" shouted the captain, out of all pa- 
tience at my want of taste in preferring the sight of 
a pretty girl to a good meal ; " come along ! Never 
mind that 'ere gal's skylights ; they won't do you no 
good. My old doxy at home is a grand sight a 



MUSICAL PARTY. 455 

snugger craft. Gome, I want somethin' to eat. Oh 
Lord ! if we only had a mess of baked clams /" 

This capped the climax. A half-suppressed laugh 
reached my ears, and, without waiting to hear any 
thing more, I started off at a brisk pace, with the 
captain blowing and puffing at my heels like a short- 
winded porpoise. 

After tea we had quite a musical party at Mr. 
Carroll's, composed of the family and several agree- 
able and fascinating young ladies of their acquaint- 
ance. It was indescribably delightful to an advent- 
urer like myself, who had been over a year among 
Portuguese boors, during which time I had enjoyed 
no other change of company than the American con- 
sul's assistants at Zanzibar, and the Arabs and Afri- 
cans at Madagascar and Johanna. We had duets 
on the piano, songs, conversational recreations, and 
all the pleasures of a social soiree. It was with 
mingled feelings of sadness and joy that I listened to 
the " songs I used to love." What delightful asso- 
ciations were conjured up that evening ! I felt as if 
I lived over again the happiest part of my life. 
Times past, winter evenings, the luxuries and refine- 
ments of civilized life, the familiar faces of my friends, 
the happy smiles of brothers and sisters crowded 
upon me, and filled my heart to overflowing. I 
thought of these, and then I thought of the past year. 
It was like a dark cloud stealing over a region of 
enchantment, bringing with it visions of distress, suf- 
fering, and cruelty. Poor Clifford ! how gloomy 



456 A FORETASTE OF HOME. 

seemed the prospect before hiin, when all around me 
was joy and brightness. And M'F — ■ — , what a fate 
was his ! Still the thoughts of home were too en- 
trancing to be altogether dissipated by such reflec- 
tions as these. The sweet tones of female voices 
speaking my own language in all its purity, the half- 
forgotten airs brought to mind again, the sound of 
the piano, the very furniture of the room, delighted 
and bewildered me. I could scarcely realize the 
idea that but a few hours before I was on the lonely 
deep, w T ith nothing but the sky above, the sea around 
me, the tall spars of the vessel, its rigging, and the 
weather-beaten faces of the crew to relieve the eye. 
The past as well as the present was like a dream. 1 
enjoyed myself more than I had since I had left 
Washington ; for all this was a foretaste of home. 
It seemed to lessen the distance which we had yet 
to go. I found, too, that, after all the novelty of life 
in foreign countries, and the excitement of adventure, 

" There is an innate feeling clings 
Around our human clay ; 
A fondness for familiar things 
That will not wear away." 

Captain P , and my whaling friend, Captain 

F , spent most of the evening discussing wine 

and sea-faring matters in the next room with Mr. 
Carroll, having but little taste for the pleasures of the 
drawing-room. 

We slept that night in an apartment provided us 
by the kind hospitality of Mr. Carroll. Having 



RIDE TO NAPOLEON'S TOMB. 457 

previously bespoken horses, we were ready after 
breakfast next morning to ride out to Napoleon's 
tomb. Mr. Hamblet, our chief mate, and Mr. Clout- 
man, the young man from Zanzibar, joined us ; and, 
with this accession, we had as jovial and sociable a 
party as could possibly be desired. 

We had scarcely halfway ascended the mountain 
back of the town when we missed our jolly compan- 
ion, Mr. Hamblet, who had very mysteriously disap- 
peared from our ranks. Upon coming to a halt to 
ascertain what had befallen him, we discovered him 
some distance behind, clinging to his horse, minus 
his hat. We immediately rode up to his assistance, 
when we heard him delivering himself of a torrent 
of oaths, mingled with nautical observations on the 
difficulty of navigating a horse, an animal with 
which he was totally unacquainted. 

" Shiver me, if I've ever been athwart such a craft, 
shipmates. You're just in time. I've lost my main- 
top-gallant-sail, and hauled aback in distress. The 
lubberly-rigged thing wouldn't lay-to, so I had to 
fetch her short up, and run her off a point or two to 
leeward of her course ; but she made so much lee- 
way that I had to haul her to port again. Then 
she wriggled like she'd shipped a heavy sea, and 
pitched me on my beam-ends. I righted up, I tell 
you, in pretty short order, and here I am with my 
main rigging hanging by the board, and my union- 
jack at the mizzen-peak." 

Without farther accident we reached the summit 
Mm m 



458 GRAND SCENE. 

of the mountain. The road is walled up at the outer 
edge with rough stone, and winds up the sides of the 
mountain in zigzag meanders, so as to make the 
ascent gradual. From the peak, or highest emi 
nence, the prospect surpasses in wildness and gran- 
deur any thing I had ever seen. No effort of the 
imagination can conceive the natural wonders of the 
scene. Rocks piled upon rocks, till they actually 
seem to pierce the clouds with their rugged pinna- 
cles ; deep chasms edged with furz ; ravines and 
valleys through which the sea gleams like a sheet 
of silver, and roads winding like serpents through 
the dark wood-land, form the background. To the 
left is the Valley of Jamestown, dotted with white 
houses, and the town dwindled to a mere speck. 
The vessels at anchor in the bay are perfect minia- 
tures, reminding one of Coleridge's 

" Painted ships upon a painted sea." 

Beyond the town is Ladder Hill, an immense deso- 
late rock, upon the highest pinnacle of which is a 
small observatory bearing the British flag. A row 
of steps, cut in the solid rock, reaches to the top of 
this wonderful pyramid. The precipice fronting the 
sea is almost perpendicular, and from its abruptness 
and great depth forms such a picture of danger as to 
make the boldest spectator shudder. In front and 
to the right the scene is still more desolate and ex- 
pansive. Gleaming between the gray, rugged out- 
line of the rocks is the vast Northern Atlantic, pre- 
senting to the eye a boundless waste of waters. I 



LONGWOOD. 459 

never felt the littleness of all things human so sensi- 
bly as when gazing with breathless interest on this 
mighty panorama. Turning our horses toward the 
interior, we soon came in sight of Longwood. Here 
new beauties entranced us. What associations the 
name conjures up ! To see the far-famed residence 
of the hero — to be within an hour's ride of Long- 
wood, was worth years of suffering. It brought be- 
fore me the spirit of the departed. The thousand 
objects I had so often read of — his favorite haunts; 
each hill and dell — all were familiar, though I now 
looked upon them for the first time. And there 
stood the cottage, half hidden in trees — an eloquent 
memento of the past. It brought to mind the exile, 
cold, pale, motionless, but proud even in the habili- 
ments of death : 

"Earth's trembling monarchs there at bay 
The caged lion kept ; 
For they knew with dread that his iron tread 
Woke earthquakes where he stepp'd." 

On the road, Captain F and I, who were 

riding in front, were met by a gentleman returning 
from the tomb. 

" Hello, you sir !" shouted the captain, hauling 
up. " I say, sir, is this the way to Boney's tomb ?." 

"Yes. You can scarcely miss the road if you 
keep on, and turn to the left where it branches." 

" Ay, ay, sir. How far d'ye call it 1" 

" Two miles." 

" Two miles!" ejaculated the captain ; "why, dang 



460 MRS. TALBOT. 

it, sir, 'twas only a mile an hour ago. It's strange 
sort of navigating in this here country. Thank you, 
sir. Good-by !" and while the stranger was gazing 
in silent astonishment on the shaggy face of my 
friend, the captain started on, muttering, " By thun- 
der ! this beats all the navigating I ever saw. A 
fellow had better take a reef in his eyes and sail 
t'other eend foremost, or shiver me if he won't make 
all his headway astern !" 

A pleasant ride of two miles brought us to the 
residence of Mrs. Talbot, the present superintendent 
of the tomb. This delightful little cottage is in a 
secluded glen, sheltered from the inclemency of the 
weather by towering mountains; and in neatness, 
beauty, and elegance evinces the refined and culti- 
vated taste of its amiable occupant. Her servants 
took our horses, and she came to the door herself to 
invite us in. We spent half an hour in her cottage 
conversing with her about Napoleon, and listening 
to her reminiscences of his captivity. This excel- 
lent lady has been on the island upward of thirty 
years, and recollects perfectly well the ex-emperor's 
first appearance. Her reminiscences of his suite, 
especially of the Count and Madame Bertrand, the 
Count de Las Casas, and General and Madame 
Montholon, were peculiarly interesting to me, com- 
ing from one who knew them personally and who 
had enjoyed their confidence. 

We also amused ourselves examining the registers, 
on the pages of which were the names of all the 



HEARTLESSNESS OF A BRITISH OFFICER. 461 

strangers who for years past had visited the tomb. I 
found some good pieces of poetry, and a great deal 
of execrable doggerel in these books. Of the latter 
description there were some verses that could not but 
excite indignation in any man of feeling, containing 
jests and jeers on the dead body of the illustrious 
emperor. One in particular, written by an officer in 
the British navy, had something actually fiendish in 
it. The utter heartlessness and moral depravity of a 
wretch who could profane the memory of the dead 
by a burlesque description in verse of his removal 
from the tomb, and a satire on his fallen nose, should 
brand him with infamy. 

Having refreshed ourselves with an excellent lunch, 
we proceeded to the tomb. An old soldier, who 
says he has lived on the island for forty years, acted 
as our guide. The former guide, who had fought 
with Napoleon, and whose entertaining anecdotes 
delighted so many tourists, died some years ago. 

At a short distance from the cottage is the inclos- 
ure in which lies the sacred relic. A wooden fence 
of forty or fifty yards in length, and fifteen or twenty 
in breadth, encircles the tomb, if such it can be call- 
ed. We entered by a gate, and found ourselves in a 
neat little garden, interspersed with shrubbery and 
willow-trees. In the center of this inclosure is a 
small square, formed by iron railing, over which was 
spread a tarpauling roof, somewhat in the manner 
of a military tent-cover. Of the tomb I have but 
little to say. It is now but a moldering relic of the 



462 THE GRAVE OF NAPOLEON. 

past ; a sad memento of by-gone days. The guide 
opened a little gate in the railing, and told us to de- 
scend. A flight of crumbling stone steps leads to the 
bottom of the vault. Here we found ourselves in the 
resting-place of the illustrious hero. A damp, noi- 
some hole, sixteen or eighteen feet, walled up at the 
sides, and plastered, is now all that remains to be 
seen. The broken and dilapidated stair-way; the 
moldering walls, covered with inscriptions in various 
languages ; the loneliness and seclusion of the spot ; 
and the recollection of the magnificent victories 
numbered among the deeds of him who had so long 
tenanted this ruin, told an impressive tale of the 
emptiness of ambition, the insignificance of man, and 
the power of Death, the great conqueror of all. 
When I descended the steps, and stood upon the 
very spot where, for nineteen years, Napoleon had 
slept, I felt for a moment utterly lost in the confusion 
of thoughts and emotions occasioned by the novelty 
of my situation. I had pictured in my own mind all 
that I now saw ; I had lingered with rapture over the 
pages of description ; I had from early boyhood ar- 
dently cherished the hope of seeing what I had so 
long thought and read of; now, all my desires and 
aspirations were realized. It was no dream of fancy ; 
no vision conjured up by youthful enthusiasm. I 
was in the grave of Napoleon ! To be on ground 
thus famed in the world's history ; to stand in the 
grave over which a nation had wept; to have the 
most ardent wish of my heart gratified beyond ex- 



ENTERTAINING GUIDE. 463 

pectation, was an epoch in my life too novel and im- 
pressive ever to be erased from my memory. The 
old soldier in attendance described the ex-emperor as 
he lay from the day of his death to that of his re- 
moval by the Prince de Joinville. It was extremely 
interesting to hear, from one who had known and 
loved him well, the most minute particulars of Na- 
poleon's death ; his last words ; his looks when on 
the point of death ; his funeral ; his position in the 
coffin, and every circumstance connected with his 
removal; to have him, as it were, brought before our 
eyes as he had lived and as he died. The loquacity 
of the guide was really the most entertaining thing 
connected with our visit to the tomb. I presume he 
has told his story over a thousand times, with all his 
pardonable egotism ; yet, as it evidently has the merit 
of being true, and contains much that can not be 
found in books — descriptions of incidents trifling in 
themselves, but characteristic of Napoleon ; vivid 
reminiscences of scenes never sketched by the pen ; 
anecdotes of the ex-emperor's peculiarities of habit 
and inclination, and interesting historical facts con- 
nected with his captivity— it is far from tiresome, and 
to every stranger it is new. A daughter of the guide, 
a fair, blue-eyed little girl of twelve or fourteen, pre- 
sented us with several bouquets of flowers, gathered 
around the tomb, to take home with us as relics for 
our friends in the United States. The old man hin> 
self gave us leave to tear some pieces of plaster from 
the inside of the vault, and assisted us in getting 



464 RELICS. 

sprigs of willow and cypress from the trees within 
the inclosure. 

Wishing to learn every thing connected with this 
celebrated spot, I gave the guide a rupee, which had 
the happy effect of making him still more communi- 
cative. We entered into a dialogue as we walked 
round the grounds, of which I give the substance. 
Referring to the presents we had received from him 
and his daughter, I inquired if he was troubled with 
many applications for relics of that kind. 

"Yes," said he; "so many that I am obliged to 
be very careful, or there would be nothing left about 
here. If I did not keep a vigilant eye on them, the 
French who visit the tomb would carry trees, rail- 
ing, tomb, and all away with them. They are fanat- 
ics in their devotion to things of this kind connect- 
ed with the memory of their emperor. Mrs. Talbot, 
who receives a pension from the Prince de Join- 
ville for superintending the premises, wishes to pre- 
serve the few trees that remain from injury, and I 
am obliged to be rather sparing of my gifts." 

" Do you have as many visitors here as you had 
previous to Napoleon's removal V 

" Yes ; I am not aware that there is any diminu- 
tion of the number. The officers, passengers, and 
crew of every vessel that comes into port, unless 
prevented by the most urgent circumstances, visit the 
tomb. When the body was here they could not do 
more ; and this is rather too remote a part of the 
world to be visited by vessels expressly for that pur- 
pose." 



FAVORITE RESORTS OF NAPOLEON. 465 

" The French seem to be devotedly attached to 
the memory of Napoleon f ' 

" They are indeed — extravagantly so. I have 
known them to shed tears over his tomb, as if he 
had died but a day before. Some of them are so 
completely overpowered with grief as to give way 
to the most violent lamentations. Scarcely a French 
visitor leaves here without carrying away with him 
tufts of grass, lumps of the sod, or any rubbish he 
can find within the railing. A piece of plaster from 
the vault is a fortune to a Frenchman." 

" Where were Napoleon's favorite places of re- 
sort?" 

" Within this inclosure, and, in fact, throughout 
the valley, he spent most of his time. Napoleon was 
too proud a man to relish any want of confidence in 
him, and he disliked nothing so much as being con- 
tinually under the vigilant eyes of the British guards. 
After prevailing upon Admiral Cockburn to station 
a cordon of sentinels at a stated distance around 
Longwood, he never went beyond the prescribed 
limits, although at liberty to do so with the attend- 
ance of a British officer. This is the spot where he 
used to sit and read. It was his favorite part of the 
island ; and he said that, next to the banks of the 
Seine, he should choose this as his last resting- 
place." 

" Was he always unattended in his rambles here ?" 

" He was generally alone ; but he took great 
pleasure in the company of his favorites, the Count 

N N N 



466 APPEARANCE OF THE BODY ON ITS REMOVAL. 

and Madame Bertrand, by whom he was frequently 
accompanied. He was sincerely attached to the 
count and his lady, whose romantic devotion to him 
he fully appreciated." 

"It appears, from the published accounts of his 
removal, that his body was in a good state of preser- 
vation when taken up ?" 

" Yes ; externally it was perfect. The least touch, 
however, made an indenture. His nose was the 
only part which did not retain its original fullness. 
It hung in upon the bone, and greatly disfigured his 
countenance. I saw him by torch-light, and a more 
ghastly object I never looked upon. The night was 
dark, and, when the lid of the coffin was raised, the 
glare of light shed upon his pale features gave them 
an additional ghastliness. His eyes were much 
sunken, and his lips slightly parted. There was 
nothing of sternness in the expression of his counte- 
nance. It was rather that of pain. He looked as 
if he had fallen into an uneasy sleep after a long fit 
of illness. His liver and heart, which were embalm- 
ed and placed upon his breast, were uninjured." 

By this time we had reached the spring, so cele- 
brated for its excellent water. The little girl who 
had presented us with the geraniums, stood in front 
of it, with a pitcher and tumbler. 

" This," said the guide, " is the spring from which 
Napoleon drank during his captivity here. He con- 
sidered the water excellent, and always used it in 
preference to any other beverage. Visitors to his 



RETURN TO JAMESTOWN. 467 

tomb drink from this spring, in order that they may- 
say, when they get home, that they drank from Na- 
poleon's spring. The French, and, indeed, visitors 
of all nations, frequently take away with them bot- 
tles of the water, which they consider as valuable a 
relic as the place affords." 

Having satisfied our curiosity, we remunerated the 
old man for his trouble, and repaired to the cottage, 
where we partook of some refreshments, and had 
some farther conversation with Mrs. Talbot. Our 
horses being ready, we took our leave of these wor- 
thy cottagers, and started off, highly pleased with 
our visit, for Jamestown Valley. 

On the road we met several specimens of a very 
curious breed of asses, such as I had never seen be- 
fore. They were of a rough, thick-set make, with 
hair, or, rather, wool, hanging almost to the ground, 
and forcibly reminded me of the off-hand sketches 
of Moreland. 

We reached Jamestown about two o'clock. The 
hostlers were standing in front of Mr. Carroll's house, 
ready to take charge of the horses. A more polite 
set of men I never saw. They will do any thing in 
the world for you ; but you must pay them two or 
three times over, and you have the additional con- 
solation of a vast increase in their number during 
your absence. I was much amused at the polite- 
ness and pertinacity of one of these knaves. I had 
given the hostler who had attended my horse in the 
morning a rupee. Captain F , through kind- 



468 RENCOUNTER WITH 

ness or mistake, had paid the same man, both for 
himself and me. Thinking the business all settled, 
I went on a ramble about town. To my great sur- 
prise, I was confronted at every corner by a man 
whom I had no recollection of having ever seen be- 
fore. He was a well-dressed, bright-looking Yam- 
stock, or native of the island, and kept bowing to 
me with the greatest politeness imaginable. I paid 
little attention to him at first, supposing it might pos- 
sibly be the custom at St. Helena for strangers to be 
noticed in that flattering manner. At last, finding 
he followed me wherever I went, bobbing at me 
with his hat in his hand, I stopped short, and giving 
him a friendly nod in return, hoped he was well, 
and wished abundance of health and happiness to 
himself and family. 

" Yes, sir — thank you, sir — hope you are very well 
yourself, sir," said he, bowing and scraping in a per- 
fect fever of politeness. 

" Quite well, thank you," said I. 

" Glad to hear it, sir. Hope you like St. Helena, 
sir. Very pretty place ; think I saw you before, sir. 
I takes care of horses — yes, sir, I keeps 'em in good 
order." 

" You do ? Well, I hope you find it a profitable 
business." 

" Thank you, sir : sometimes I do, when I meets 
with gentlemen like yourself." 

" Well, my friend, I am glad to hear it. I hope 
you'll prosper in your line of business. Good-by; 
I'm in a hurry just now." 



THE VERITABLE PILL GARLICK. 469 

" One moment, sir ; hope you'll remember old Pill 
Garlick." 

" Pill Garlick ? Are you the original and unadul- 
terated Pill?" 

" Yes, sir ; I'm the very man." 

" Well, Pill, I'll remember you. I never saw you 
before, but if I ever meet you again, I think I shall 
know you. Good-morning !" 

" Mister! mister! I took good care of your horse, 
sir. Be happy to drink your health." 

" But I paid a man for taking care of the horse. 
How's that r 

" Ah !" sighed Pill, with a grave shake of the head 
and a melancholy smile of commiseration, "you paid 
the wrong man ! If you pay me, you can't mistake 
the person again, sir." 

Amused, at the effrontery of the rogue, I gave him 
a shilling, and advised him never again to let the 
light of his countenance shine upon me, for both of 
which (the shilling and the advice) he thanked me 
very cordially, wished me a pleasant voyage home, 
and kept bowing at me, and scraping the pavement 
with his feet, till I lost sight of him, and, for all I 
know to the contrary, he may be bobbing away 
there in the same polite manner still. 

In the course of the afternoon I was favored with 
numerous anecdotes of what had occurred at the 
tomb of Napoleon within Mr. Carroll's recollection. 
I was particularly amused at an account of an iras- 
cible Frenchman, who conceived himself insulted by 



470 AN IRASCIBLE FRENCHMAN. 

a Yankee. Though such an anecdote must lose 
in the repetition, I shall give it as nearly as possible 
in the language of the narrator. 

An Englishman some years since visited the tomb, 
and indited in the register a verse on the ex-emperor 
to this effect : 

" Boney was a great man, 
A soldier brave and true, 
But "Wellington did lick him at 
The field of Waterloo." 

This was not in very good taste, nor exactly such 
an allusion as an Englishman should be guilty of at 
the tomb of a conquered foe. Nevertheless, it con- 
tained indisputable truths. A Yankee visited the 
place a few days after. Determined to punish the 
braggart for so illiberal and unmanly an attack on the 
dead, he wrote, immediately under it, 

" But greater still, and braver far, 
And tougher than shoe-leather, 
Was Washington, the man wot could 
Have licked 'em both together." 

The next visitor was a Frenchman, who, like all 
his countrymen, was deeply attached to the memory 
of Napoleon. When he read the first lines he ex- 
claimed, with looks of horror and disgust, 

" Mon Dieu ! duel sacrilege ! Sans douts, l'An- 
glais sont grands cochons !" 

The Yankee skipper's addition next attracted his 
eye. He started as he read ; gasped, grinned, read 
the lines again ; then, dashing his hands in his hair, 
danced about the room in a paroxysm of indignation, 



POPULATION OF JAMESTOWN. 471 

screaming " Sacre diable ! Monsieur Bull is one 
grand brute, but le frere Jonathan is one savage hor- 
rible ! Sacre ! sacre ! I challenge him ! I shall 
cut him up in vera small pieces !" 

He called for his horse, rode post-haste to town, 
and sought the Yankee every where. Alas, the bird 
had flown ! A ship had just sailed; the skipper was 
gone ! 

Un appeased in his wrath, the Frenchman called 
upon the consul for redress, but was told redress 
could not be had there. Straightway went the en- 
raged man with his complaint to the governor. His 
excellency reasoned with him, moralized, philoso- 
phized, but to no purpose. Nothing would satisfy 
the irascible Frenchman but the erasure of the of- 
fensive lines, which, by order of the governor, were 
stricken from the register. 

Jamestown is a pleasant little place, containing a 
population of about fifteen hundred. The houses 
are neat, and many of them even elegant. There is 
great variety in the population. Those born on the 
island are of the complexion of the Portuguese, and 
are called Yamstocks. The upper classes are very 
intelligent and polite, and the society is good. The 
number of children in Jamestown, from the ages of 
six to twelve, is almost incredible. From sunrise to 
sunset the streets are literally swarmed with them. 
I thought Terceira surpassed every other island in 
the Atlantic in that respect, but the fecundity of the 
women in St. Helena is beyond all competition. 



472 VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 

Within a few years, hundreds of children have been 
sent from St. Helena to the Cape of Good Hope. 
Still there seems to be a sufficient number left to peo- 
ple all the uninhabited portions of the globe in a few 
generations. 

I visited the market-house early on the morning 
after our arrival, and found much there to interest 
me. From the general descriptions I had read of the 
sterility of this island, I had supposed that it produced 
little or nothing in the way of vegetables. It quite 
surprised me to find that, so far from that, there was 
an abundance of very good vegetables in the market. 
I saw pumpkins and water-melons equal in size to 
any I had ever seen before. There were also small, 
round potatoes, middling-sized turnips, cabbage, 
greens, plums, and pears. The products of the isl- 
and are sufficient for its population. Owing to the 
great demand for vegetables, caused by the number 
of vessels constantly stopping at St. Helena on their 
passage home from the Indian Seas, the prices are 
proportionably high. Captains of vessels are apt to 
deem these prices exorbitant ; but they should recol- 
lect the great difficulty of raising crops on a pile of 
desolate rocks ; besides, the natives have no other 
protection. It can not be expected that they should 
give the food out of their own mouths without re- 
ceiving sufficient to compensate them for their dep- 
rivations. 

The water at St. Helena is the purest and best, 
perhaps, in the world. That which is made use of 



FORTIFICATIONS. 473 

by vessels is procured from a spring near the pier, 
gushing from the solid rock. A ship's long-boat, 
with three or four casks, can run under this spring, 
and obtain a load without any trouble. 

Our stay was so short that I could learn but little 
in relation to the civil regulations of the place. The 
laws, I was told, are strict and severe. The British 
governor rules the colony with despotic sway. The 
present incumbent, however, is a man of good sense 
and humanity ; and St. Helena being rather a mil- 
itary station than an ordinary settlement, strictness 
in the administration of the laws is absolutely indis- 
pensable. 

There is a formidable battery fronting the harbor, 
upon which the British soldiers may be seen parad- 
ing at all hours of the day. The heavy guns cover 
every part of the anchorage, and leave no chance for 
the entrance of an enemy's vessels of war. The 
most striking feature in the fortifications of St. Helena 
is to be seen on approaching the harbor. In the 
highest rocks, which one would suppose to be inac- 
cessible, are holes through which the muzzles of can- 
non protrude. What is most extraordinary, the 
rocks are so nearly perpendicular as to preclude the 
idea of getting those heavy weapons of defense up 
from the water; and I could account for their ap- 
pearance there in no other way than by supposing 
they were lowered from above by ropes. The labor 
that it required to dig these holes in solid rock must 
have been very great. Sentinels are stationed at 
O o o 



474 DEPARTURE. 

each gun, who are relieved at regular periods during 
the day and night. The necessity for all this vigi- 
lance, since the removal of Napoleon's remains, I 
could not clearly see. St. Helena certainly is not an 
island of so attractive an aspect as to invite attack 
for the purpose of territorial acquisition. 

Captain P had procured all the necessary re- 
freshments by evening; and having taken an affec- 
tionate leave of the consul and his family, we all 
went on board the Rolla. In fifteen minutes the 
anchor was up. The Dutch merchantman had al- 
ready hove short, and by sundown we were steering 
in company for home, with all sail set. 

The bustle and confusion of departure over, the 
crew seated themselves on the scuttle, or lounged 
about the forecastle, talking of what they had seen. 
Old John, the Frenchman, leaned against the bul- 
wark, and gazed silently at the receding rocks. 1 
quietly approached him, and asked him what he 
thought of Napoleon and St. Helena. He turned 
his face toward me, and I could see the tears steal 

down his cheeks as he replied, " Ah, Mr. B , it 

was a hard fate ! I never knew how hard it was be- 
fore. It reminds me of a song I learned when I was 
about your age : 

" ' Adieu, Patrie ! adieu, Patrie /' " 

Here John attempted to sing me the Exile's Lament 
on bidding adieu to his country ; but, overpowered 
by emotion, he buried his face in his hands, and was 
silent. I respected his affection for the dead, and 
left him to the indulgence of his feelings. 



FALL IN LOVE WITH A L GG. 475 

Slowly and mournfully the dark shadows of night 
were stealing over the island. I sat upon the taff- 
rail and gazed upon it, as it grew more indistinct each 
moment. Now it was but a dark mass of rocks, 
with a rugged outline ; now, an undefined object, 
half hidden in the darkening twilight ; now the eye 
could scarcely recognize it in the depths of the 
gloom. Thoughts of the few happy hours I had 
spent there ; of all I had seen and experienced with- 
in so short a period ; the genuine hospitality of the 
warm-hearted strangers who had been so kind to 
me ; the associations connected with this desolate 
spot, awoke within me many emotions of regret, and 
vague, melancholy reflections on the fleeting triumphs 
of ambition. 

That night, inspired by visions of the beauty of a 
young lady to whom I had been introduced on the 
island, I went below, and perpetrated, for the first 
time in my life, a desperate attempt at poetry. I 
have not been very hard upon the reader in this re- 
spect, and, regarding my narrative somewhat in the 
light of a confession, I claim indulgence for the fol- 
lowing rash effort : 

Lines on Miss L — gg. 
To the sweet little valley of Jamestown I came, 

Ne'er dreaming with clanger 'twas fraught ; 
After whaling a year, oh, I tell it with shame, 

On the pin-hook of love I got caught. 

Long years in my heart this misfortune will rankle, 

And the reason you'll notice, I beg ; 
"While others, from taste, fall in love with an ankle, 

Too fondly I loved a whole L — gg ! 



476 SKETCH OF A GOOD CAPTAIN. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Sketch of a good Captain. — Amusements. — Dana's Narrative. — A 
pattern Husband. — Baffling Winds. — The Gulf Stream. — A Ves- 
sel abandoned. — Land Ho ! — The Captain's Wit. — Make Cape 
Cod Light-house. — Hospitality of the Citizens of Salem. — Bad 
News. — Arrival in Washington. — Visit to the West. — Changes. — 
Home and its Pleasures. 

Captain P was the very antipodes of my old 

whaling skipper. Never had I met with a more gen- 
erous and warm-hearted man, or a better friend in 
every respect. He was kind to his crew, respected 
their feelings, and did all in his power to promote 
their comfort. At the same time, he preserved dis- 
cipline, and made every man know his place. A 
better sailor never walked a ship's planks. He un- 
derstood his duty from beginning to end, kept within 
the bounds of his authority, and, while faithful to the 
interest of the owners, gave the crew their full com- 
plement of provisions, and encouraged them in all 
their enjoyments. The consequence was that they 
respected him, and made themselves active and use- 
ful. Brave, energetic, and liberal, he set an exam- 
ple that excited the emulation of all on board. No 
man flinched from danger, avoided work, or refused 
to share the best he had with his shipmates. 

I have said that the captain was fond of fun. It 
was, in fact, the chief ingredient in his nature. Our 
passenger, Captain F , was the subject of his 



dana's narrative. 477 

best jokes. The ex-whaleman had a superabund- 
ance of good-nature, but was too credulous for an 

old joker like Captain P . There was but one 

subject upon which he really disliked to be quizzed, 
and any allusion to that made him very angry — a 
paragraph in Mr. Dana's Narrative, which had a di- 
rect bearing upon his seamanship. Now a sea-cap- 
tain is as sensitive about his seamanship as a poet is 
about his verses. Dana speaks of a whaler which 
he visited on the northwest coast, and describes the 
captain as a " slab-sided Quaker," the hands as an 
awkward set of backwoodsmen, and the whole cut 
and rig of the vessel as neither tidy nor shipshape. 
This, it happened, was the very vessel in which Cap- 
tain F performed his first voyage as mate. The 

allusion to her untidiness was something he could 
not digest. Captain P and myself took partic- 
ular pleasure in denouncing whalers, and always 
quoted this passage in support of our position. The 
fun we enjoyed in this way kept the whole ship 
alive. It soon found its way to the forecastle, and 
the ex-whaleman was quizzed on all sides. At last, 
unable to bear it any longer, he swore he would 
knock the first man down who alluded to the " vil- 
lanous libel," and signified his intention of going to 
Boston as soon as the Rolla anchored in Salem har- 
bor, hunting up Mr. Dana, and giving him a most 
terrible thrashing. It was impossible, however, to 
prevent some sly hints once in a while about the 
" slab-sided captain" and the " lubberly whaler." 



478 A PATTERN HUSBAND. 

On our passage from St. Helena we amused our- 
selves making miniature ships, working lunars, prick- 
ing our progress on the charts, and talking of home 
during our leisure hours, and doing the usual small 
jobs about the vessel when on duty. 

There was one trait in Captain P 's charac- 
ter for which I warmly esteemed him : his devotion 
to his wife and children. Not content with descant- 
ing upon their merits, he spent an hour every fore- 
noon reading a package of letters written by his wife 
to entertain him during his long voyage ; and every 
night he regularly wrote her an account of the pro- 
ceedings of the day, signed and directed as if for 
the mail. This arrangement, dictated by affection, 
brought the devoted couple in mutual communion. 
While thus separated, the wife had all the letters of 
the preceding voyage to read, and the husband all 
those interesting little details of domestic life which 
had transpired during his previous absence, to make 
up for the deprivation of being separated from those 
he loved. 

Wafted along by pleasant trade-winds, nothing 
occurred to relieve the monotony of our passage till 

October 14lh, when we crossed the line, in long. 
35° 20' west. This is always an interesting epoch 
in sea life, and was none the less so to me from the 
fact that, once across the line, it seemed as if we 
were more in the neighborhood of home than even 
a few leagues to the southward. The rest of our 
passage may be summed up in a brief log. 






MEET AN ABANDONED VESSEL. 479 

October 18th. — Lost the trades in lat. 7° north. 
From this date till the 23d we had light and baffling 
winds, heavy rains; squalls, and calms. 

In lat. 13°*took the N.E. trades, which continued 
till we reached lat. 30°. 

In 32° had N.W. gales. 

November 11th. — Entered the Gulf Stream, after 
much bad weather. In this dark and dreary nest of 
storms we had strong N., N. by W., N.N.W., and 
N.W. gales. Lay to three days under close-reefed 
main-top-sails and fore-top-mast stay-sail. Made our 
exit in 37° 30' north. 

November 16th. — Gulf astern, looking like a thick, 
dark bank of clouds. Some of the men on the bow 
descried a vessel ahead, three or four leagues distant, 
without sail, and apparently in distress. At two 
P.M. made sail for her, and at four came up and 
rounded to under her lee. She proved to be the 
schooner Mirror, of Newburyport, Rhode Island. 
Boarded her, and found her abandoned. Her sails 
hung in ribbons on her spars; the fore-yard was 
gone ; the fore-top-sail yard swinging by the hal- 
liards, braces drifting overboard, and rigging in great 
disorder. There was no water in her hold, though 
she had apparently been abandoned but a few days, 
evidently in consequence of the loss of her sails. 
Her cargo was plaster of Paris. The cabin was 
lined with bird's-eye maple, and in good order, but 
without bedding or furniture, except the China- 
ware, which was carefully stowed away in her lock- 



480 LAND HO ! 

ers. There was also in one of the lockers the rem- 
nant of a meal recently cooked. We procured from 
the hold two barrels of good potatoes, a few blocks, 
some loose rigging, and whatever else we could con- 
veniently carry away in the boat. 

November 11th.— Rain, and thick foggy weather. 
Got the anchors on the bow. At one A.M. sound- 
ed in forty-two fathoms, muddy bottom. 

" Land ho !" shouted the captain, who had been 
on deck most of the night anxiously looking out. 
" Land ho ! you lubbers ! What are you all about ?" 

" Where away, sir V cried several of the crew, 
running aft with joy in their faces. " We can't see 
it, sir." 

" What land V asked the mate. 

" Land ho ! land ho !" yelled the captain. 

" Where is it, sir 1" demanded a chorus of voices. 

" Here in my hand, you boobies !" coolly rejoined 
the captain, holding up the lead. " This is land ; 
smell it !" 

Of course every body laughed at the joke, an6 
bore the disappointment with becoming good-humor. 

That night, however, we made Cape Cod light- 
house. There was no deception about this. All 
hands were frantic with delight, and nobody thought 
of turning in on so joyous an occasion. I can not 
describe the strange sensations I experienced when 
we passed Boston harbor, and saw all the ships and 
houses lining the shores. There was something 
novel in the civilized aspect of the whole scene, for 






GENEROSITY OF CAPTAIN P. 481 

I had become so accustomed to Arabian dows, ca- 
noes, bamboo huts, and cocoa-nut trees, that I was 
almost a stranger to every thing bearing the marks 
of civilization. The Salem pilot boarded us during 
the morning, and that afternoon, the 19th of No- 
vember, we cast anchor in Salem harbor. I expe- 
rienced no unusual sensations of pleasure in getting 
ashore. Regret at parting with the crew greatly 
predominated over every other feeling. I had be- 
come warmly attached to many of them, and it was 
sad to think I should most probably never see them 
again. 

Captain P insisted upon making me his guest 

for a few days, or as long as I wished to stay. I 
could not resist so kind an invitation, anxious as I 
was to start for home. 

The genuine hospitality of my sea-faring friend, 
the attention and kindness of his estimable lady, and 
their generosity in providing me with clothes and 
other necessaries, made an impression upon my heart 
which time can not erase. I enjoyed a week's unal- 
loyed pleasure under their roof, and though, in the 
course of my life, I have met with many people who 
made a greater dash in the world, and a more im- 
posing parade of their virtues, never has it been my 
fortune to know a more affectionate, generous, and 
deserving couple than this honest mariner and his 
wife. 

I can not bid adieu to Salem without acknowledg- 
ing the disinterested kindness with which I was 

P p p 



482 MELANCHOLY NEWS. 

treated by every citizen of that place with whom I 
became acquainted, and, indeed, by many who were 
total strangers to me. I look back upon my short 
sojourn there with mingled feelings of pleasure and 
regret. In a single week I made more warm-heart- 
ed friends in Salem than I had ever made any where 
during twice the time. As to the ladies, bless their 
noble souls, I love them — every one ! Is it not sad 
to part with friends and associations so dear to the 
way-faring pilgrim ? 

On my arrival in New York I called upon an old 
family friend, who gave me the first news from home 
I had received since my departure from Washington, 
and communicated the melancholy intelligence of 
the death of a younger brother. The unhappy tid- 
ings, so unexpected, shocked me more than words 
can tell. I had left him in the enjoyment of health, 
and in the very morning of life. Scarcely a week 
had elapsed since I had sent a letter from Salem, 
containing an affectionate remembrance to him, and 
an allusion to some little presents which I hoped soon 
to hand him in person. 

Without making any stay in New York, I pro- 
ceeded to Washington, and arrived there on the 28th 
of November, having been absent nearly seventeen 
months. 

I was extremely anxious to continue on to Louis- 
ville. It was my home. I was comparatively a 
stranger in Washington, and longed to be once more 
among friends and kindred. This pleasure was de- 



ARRIVAL HOME. 483 

nied me. I had to give my last cent to a porter, and, 
after all the perils and hardships of the past year, the 
only resource left me was to set to work and earn 
money enough to carry me home ! 

Congress was about to convene, and I was just in 
time to make an engagement for the session. At 
the expiration of seven months, during which time I 
worked hard, at my business as a reporter, I set out 
for Kentucky, where I arrived after a pleasant trip 
across the mountains. 

Two years and a half had produced many changes 
in Louisville. My old acquaintances were grown 
out of my recollection, married, or scattered over the 
country. I met few who recognized me, and none 
who did so without difficulty. Forgetting that / had 
altered too, it mortified me to think I was so soon 
forgotten. Even the houses looked new and strange 
to me, and reminded me that I had been a wanderer. 
' It was now more than a year since the death of 
my brother, and the natural gloom, caused by the cir- 
cumstances under which I once more found myself a 
member of the family circle, soon passed away. Sur- 
rounded by old and well-tried friends, and the near- 
est and dearest of my kindred, who loved me all the 
better " for the dangers I had passed," I related my 
adventures. I need scarcely say I had an indulgent 
audience. The joy of such a reunion more than 
compensated for the perils and hardships of the past. 
Never before had I fully experienced all the pleasures 
of home. My pilgrimage was over. 



484 FATE OF COMRADES. 

" I was once again 
"With those who loved me. What a beauty dwelt 
In each accustomed face ! What music hung 
On each familiar voice ! We circled in 
Our meeting ring of happiness. If e'er 
This life has bliss, I knew and felt it then !" 



CONCLUSION. 

Fate of my Comrades. — Narrative of the Sufferings of my Friend 

W . — Unparalleled Case of Cruelty. — Account of the Yankee 

Boy. — The Mockery of the Law. — Injustice toward Seamen. — 
Review of the Voyage. — Reflections on the present Condition of 
the Whale Fishers. — Flogging, and its evil Effects. — Imperfec- 
tions of the United States Consular System. — Life of a Whale- 
man. — Tyranny. — The End. 

If I have succeeded in securing the attention of 
the reader so far, it is but reasonable to presume he 
feels an interest in the fate of my fellow-adventur- 
ers. I should deem my task but half performed 
were I to omit farther reference to the unfortunate 
young men whose sufferings I had shared, and with 
whom I had been so long and so intimately asso- 
ciated. 

My first inquiry on my return to Washington was 
touching the fate of my friend W , whose mel- 
ancholy history is given in the early part of this nar- 
rative. When I parted from him at Fayal I had 
little hope of ever seeing him again. He was then 
in such a state of health as almost to preclude the 



SUFFERINGS OF W. 485 

possibility of his recovery. It rejoiced me, however, 
to learn that he had returned to Ohio in safety dur- 
ing the autumn of the preceding year. I learned, 
also, that his family and friends attributed to me all 
his misfortunes. Not knowing how much blame he 
attached to me himself, I felt a delicacy, under these 
circumstances, in writing to him ; convinced that, 
the moment he heard of my return to the Unit- 
ed States, he would, if still friendly to me, explain 
how matters stood. Some time after my arrival in 
Washington, hearing nothing from him, I published 
an outline of my voyage, and sent, him a paper con- 
taining it. In the course of a week or two I receiv- 
ed a frank, cordial, and highly satisfactory letter, as- 
suring me of the friendly regard of himself and fam- 
ily, and containing the following brief narrative of 
his adventures from the time he had parted from me 
at Fayal. 

After our separation he remained in the Villa 
Orta, confined to the hospital about two weeks, dur- 
ing which time his sufferings from illness and the 
unskillful treatment of the doctors surpassed even 
what he had endured on board the whaler. He at 
length succeeded in negotiating with the captain of 
a small schooner, about to sail for Boston, Massa- 
chusetts, for a passage to that port. Though too fee- 
ble to work, he was compelled to turn out at night 
and assist the hands in taking in sail, and in some 
other respects received the most heartless treatment 
from the captain, who had too little manliness to ap- 



486 PROLONGED ILLNESS OF W. 

predate his unhappy situation. On the passage they 
encountered much rough weather, and it was not 
until the 29th of November that they came to an- 
chor in Boston harbor — making the passage upward 
of six weeks. He lay confined to his bed, in a sail- 
or boarding-house, for several days before he had 
strength to write to his parents. An answer, con- 
taining a remittance, arrived in due time ; but it was 
more than three weeks before he had sufficiently re- 
covered to bear the fatigue of traveling. Immedi- 
ately on regaining in some measure his health, he 
started for home, where he arrived in the course of 
a week, very much enfeebled. Unfortunately, the 
effects of the sun-stroke still remained, and he again 
fell sick, and continued throughout the winter in a 
state of great prostration of mind and body. 

In the summer of 1844, having received a cordial 
invitation to spend a few weeks with him, I passed 
through Ohio, on my return to Washington from 
Kentucky, and paid him a visit. Need I say our 
greeting was a warm one ? We had both suffered, 
and we felt that past events had but strengthened 
the bond of friendship. Our joy was mutual, for our 
separation had been long and painful. I spent a 
few weeks with my esteemed shipmate, on the banks 
of the beautiful Scioto, in unreserved communion 
over the trials and hardships of our sea life. I was 
grieved, however, to find him still laboring under the 
effects of his maltreatment on board the whaler ; 
and it is with deep regret I add that now, after the 



AMIABLE CHARACTER OF M S F. 487 

lapse of more than three years from that period, there 
is no abatement to his distressing malady. Where 
is the law for a deep and lasting injury like this ? 

During the winter succeeding my visit to the 
West, I learned the following melancholy particu- 
lars in relation to the fate of my poor friend, Barzy 

M'F , the " down-easter." I have already dwelt 

at some length upon the estimable character of this 
young man. I have shown that he possessed more 
than an ordinary share of the kindly and endearing 
feelings of our nature. Though rude in his exterior, 
and without education, he had a noble, manly, and 
generous heart — a heart alive to the sufferings of 
others, and ever prompting him to acts of kindness. 
I have shown that he was lively, inoffensive, and 
honest ; and I now add, in testimony of his good 
qualities, that in all my intercourse with the world, I 
never met with a more upright and honorable young 
man, a kinder friend, or a better companion. 

But hear his fate, ponder over it, and, I venture to 
say, you can not find in the annals of dark and dam- 
ning crime a deed more atrocious. Driven by cru- 
elties which he could no longer endure to make his 
escape from the barque Styx, he took advantage of 
the first opportunity that occurred after she left Zan- 
zibar, and deserted on an island in the Indian Ocean. 
He had been absent but twelve hours when he was 
retaken. Warned by the ill-treatment which he had 
previously received not to depend any longer upon 
the prospect of his condition being improved, he re- 



488 BRUTAL TREATMENT OF M'F. 

fused duty. To this determination he adhered with 
so much spirit and resolution, that the captain, with 
all his threats, could not compel him to yield. 
M'F — « — had suffered too many outrages to remain 
in the slavish position he had occupied during the 
voyage. For thus maintaining his rights as a man 
and an American citizen, he was confined in the 
run, and kept there, on bread and water, from the 
14:th of February till the 11th of Septe?nber, 1844 — 
nearly seven months. 

Upon the arrival of the vessel in the United States 
(at the date of his liberation), he had the captain 
arraigned before the United States Commissioner in 
Boston on a charge of cruel and unusual punish- 
ment. It appeared from the testimony that his pun- 
ishment was the result of his own determination not 
to do duty ; that he had been repeatedly offered his 
liberty if he would resume his place before the mast, 
but had invariably returned the same positive answer. 
When liberated, he was a mere skeleton, and had 
evidently endured the most intense tortures of mind 
and body. In giving an account of the cruelties in- 
flicted upon him, he betrayed no ill-will against the 
captain, but stated all the circumstances with mark- 
ed fairness and honesty. 

Now I wish to call particular attention to the run 
in which this man was confined. Those acquainted 
with a ship's structure of course understand all this, 
but there may be some who will not deem a few 
words of explanation supererogatory. The run is the 



DESCRIPTION OF HIS NOISOME DUNGEON. 489 

hole or apartment immediately under the cabin floor. 
In a vessel of a hundred and forty or fifty tons bur- 
den, it is rarely more than three or four feet from 
the deepest part of the run to the cabin floor, and 
not more than twelve or fourteen feet from the stern- 
post to the bulk-heads which separate it from the 
aft hold. The stench of the bilge-water in this noi- 
some hole is almost suffocating. In addition to this, 
the run of the barque Styx was more than half filled 
with old kegs, cheese-boxes, rigging, and other rub- 
bish, leaving scarcely room for a man to lie down at 
full length, and no room to stand, or even sit with 
comfort. Light being totally excluded, and no air 
admitted except what found its way through the 
aft hold, which contained the ship's provisions, the 
horrors of such a place of confinement may more 
readily be imagined than described. 

In this dark and noisome hole an unoffending 
and friendless young man dragged out a weary con- 
finement of seven months. I ask the reader to 
pause and reflect upon his sufferings. Can any thing 
more dreadful be conceived ? Within limits scarce- 
ly larger than a coffin — thousands of miles from his 
native land — breathing the thick and fetid air of a 
dungeon ; surrounded by dense and perpetual dark- 
ness, without the power of escape should the vessel 
suddenly founder ; without a friend to whom he 
could appeal ; goaded by the insults of a tyrant ; 
mocked by offers, which, as a man not totally dead 
to all sense of the dignity of human nature, he felt 
Q, Q Q 



490 MOCKERY OF THE LAW. 

bound to reject with disdain ; days, and weeks, and 
months dragging their slow length along without a 
change — what language can depict his sufferings ! 
what heart is there that does not sympathize with 
him ! 

Let no man say the age of inquisitorial cruelty has 
passed away ! Is it possible to conceive any thing 
more fiendish than this 1 Can the imagination pic- 
ture a more malicious, a more brutal act of despot- 
ism \ 

But this is an enlightened age: of course, it is not 
to be supposed such deeds of villany are suffered to 
go unpunished. A crime more atrocious than the 
foulest murder certainly demanded an appropriate 
punishment. Was the perpetrator of this outrage 
hung, then ? it is asked. No. Was he imprisoned 
in a penitentiary 1 No. Was he compelled to yield 
up the proceeds of his voyage in reparation of the 
cruel wrong 1 Oh, no ! there is no such law for the 
poor and the friendless. Redress, in a civilized age, 
must always be meted out according to the influence 
and standing of the party arraigned ; otherwise it 
would be a disgusting relic of barbarism, not to be 
tolerated in a more advanced state of civilization. 

Look to this, philanthropists ! God forbid that I 
should attempt, by any crude suggestions of mine, to 
divert your attention from the consideration of those 
great causes for the amelioration of the condition of 
the human race, which so loudly appeal to your 
sympathies — which furnish themes for lectures and 



APPEAL TO PHILANTHROPISTS. 491 

addresses — which agitate the whole country, and in 
which the public feel so profound an interest ; but 
if you can conveniently spare a thought upon the 
slavish and degraded condition of a certain class of 
your white countrymen, to whose daring enterprise 
you are indebted for many of the luxuries of life, pray 
do so, and I have no doubt your condescension will 
be duly appreciated. They are but white men, it 
is true — men of no influence or standing in society ; 
men who have been so degraded by the lash that 
respectable people spurn them; but so much the 
greater reason for the exercise of your magnanimity. 

It was not enough that M'F should receive 

no redress for the injuries inflicted upon him. To 
let a case of that kind pass without a word in sup- 
port of tyranny would have been another relic of bar- 
barism. An influential journal referred to it as a 
most extraordinary instance of " ignorance, or ob- 
stinacy, or both," on the part of an American seaman! 

I learned that the captain was held to bail in the 
sum of $800 to answer to the charge. Considering 
the nature of the testimony — which was of a very 
conflicting character, some of the witnesses having 
a wonderful affection for the captain — this was as 
much as could be expected of the court. But, re- 
garding the facts as they really occurred, what a 
mockery upon justice do we find here ! I have nev- 
er been able to learn whether, at the final trial, any 
fine was imposed upon the captain; but if there was, 
it certainly could not have exceeded the amount of 



492 CHEAP JUSTICE. 

the bail, and the probability is, it was much less. 
Justice is certainly cheap, when such an outrage as 
this only costs the paltry sum of a few hundred dol- 
lars. 

The captain was also held to bail in the sum of 
$200 (another instance of cheap justice) for putting 
the mate, Mr. D , ashore on one of the Sey- 
chelles Islands, contrary to the marine laws of the 
United States. But this was a justifiable case ; the 
mate had refused to submit to the arbitrary and over- 
bearing tyranny of a captain. Whether he obtained 
redress for the loss of his voyage and the expense of 
his passage home is a matter of no consequence. 

I should like to know the object of marine laws. 
That they protect the rights of the master is plain 
enough ; but in my simplicity, I had supposed they 
were also designed to protect those of the seaman. 
Let us revert for a single moment to some of the fla- 
grant abuses narrated in the preceding pages, and see 
whether it would not be expedient to enact some laws 
for the protection of seamen, and also to devise some 
means to have them administered. 

1. In the case of Smith, who was dragged from 
a bed of sickness, and brutally assaulted for refusing 
to perform duties, which, by the articles of agree- 
ment, he was not bound to perform, was there not a 
direct violation of what is commonly supposed to be 
the law ? When he was cruelly beaten at the helm 
because ignorant of his duty, was there not violation 
of the law without just provocation ? W T hen he was 



A CHAPTER OF OUTRAGES. 493 

put ashore on the Island of Terceira without the 
consular fee, was there not violation of the law 1 
When he was afterward left at Fayal, where he 
could have been recovered had it been supposed he 
had voluntarily deserted, was there not violation of 
the law 1 And what redress has he had for these 
grievous wrongs 1 None whatever. 

2. In the case of flogging which occurred near St. 
Augustine's Bay, was the offense of sufficient mag- 
nitude to justify so cruel and degrading a punishment? 
What redress have the sufferers obtained for their 
degradation 1 None. 

3. In that of the Portuguese boy, Frank, who was 
flogged with a rope's end at the helm for his igno- 
rance of the English language, was there not a di- 
rect and flagrant violation of the law — an atrocious 
outrage upon a helpless and unoffending youth ? 
What redress has he had ? None. 

4. In that of Vernon, who had been driven by ill 
usage to desert at Zanzibar, and who died miserably 
in a strange land in consequence of this ill usage, 
was there not a most shameful disregard of law and 
humanity 1 What redress has his bereaved family 
obtained for this outrage ? None. 

5. In that of the mate, who was left ashore ten 
thousand miles from home, was there not an open 
violation of the law ? What redress has he had ? 
The loss of his year's labor ! 

6. In that of M'F , whose wrongs I have just 

narrated, was there not one of the most fiendish and 



494 GROSS PERVERSION OF AUTHORITY. 

disgraceful violations of law on record 1 And what 
redress has he had 1 The empty mockery of a tri- 
al, a paltry and miserable fine, perhaps, and the in- 
dignity of being stigmatized as ignorant and obsti- 
nate. 

7. For a long series of abuses ; for harsh and in- 
sulting language ; for months of starvation ; for un- 
wholesome food ; for every species of degradation 
that malice could devise, what redress have the whole 
crew had ? The gratification of returning to the 
United States, after their privations and hardships, in 
debt for their outfits ! 

Various subterfuges are constantly resorted to, for 
the purpose of escaping the just retribution of the 
law, by men who pervert their authority to gratify 
base and malicious passions. What respect can the 
poor seaman, who moves in an humble sphere, have 
for legal enactments, when men of wealth and influ- 
ence are, with scarcely an exception, suffered to revel 
in every species of enormity ? 

I once heard it contended, as an apology for an 
arbitrary act of despotism, by no means calculated 
to inspire barbarous nations with a very profound re- 
spect for our civilized institutions, that an American 
vessel of war, in a friendly port, and in a time of 
peace, could not with safety keep in custody three 
of her own creiv ! This plea was sustained by intel- 
ligent and respectable witnesses. Of course, after 
such a plea, the injured party could receive no other 
than mere nominal redress. Under such circumstan- 



WHY FOREIGNERS ARE EMPLOYED AS SEAMEN. 495 

ces, when a high tribunal gives countenance to tyr- 
anny and oppression because of the commanding in- 
fluence of the party arraigned for trial, what hope 
can we have of seeing justice administered in an 
humble sphere of life ? Certainly very little. Still, 
we should not be discouraged. 

It has been alleged that it is impossible to preserve 
discipline and prevent crime without extraordinary 
severity, where the crews of our vessels are com- 
posed of so great a proportion of foreign outcasts. 
This is one of the many arguments in support of 
tyranny, dictated by selfish and pecuniary interests. 
Why are the crews composed, for the most part, of 
foreign outcasts 1 Because they can be obtained at 
a lower rate of compensation than Americans ; be- 
cause they have never been accustomed to Republican 
institutions, and are willing to submit to oppressive 
and despotic treatment; because, having been all 
their lives suffering from hunger and want, they are 
easily satisfied with the poorest fare; because, in 
short, they are more easily cheated, more servile, more 
ignorant, and more depraved than the generality of 
Americans inveigled into the same service. I have 
particular reference to the Portuguese, shipped in 
such numbers from the Western Islands, and by 
whom our whaling fleet is in a large proportion man- 
ned. It is always easy to find excuses for oppression 
and tyranny where pecuniary interests and selfish 
passions are involved. The very arguments ad- 
vanced in support of the abuses existing in our entire 



496 THE CURE FOR THE EVIL. 

naval, commercial, and whaling marine are refuted by 
the facts which have given rise to them. American 
freemen are unwilling to subject themselves to a sys- 
tem of brutal tyranny. Abolish all these abuses, and 
Americans will man our vessels. There are thou- 
sands of enterprising young men in this country who 
would be glad to find employment in the whale 
fishery, if they could do so without becoming slaves. 
I speak now of the better class; for I freely confess a 
large proportion of the Americans who continue to 
seek refuge in that service are not of the most repu- 
table character. It is the existence of the very evils 
complained of that furnishes the excuse for oppres- 
sion. Remove them, and the alleged necessity for 
this severity will be removed. While those greedy 
cormorants, who live, and gloat, and grow rich on 
the misery and degradation of their fellow-creatures, 
are suffered to carry on their nefarious system in 
the very face of our laws, so long will these abuses 
exist. 

It is a disgrace to the American flag that the bar- 
barous system of flogging, now permitted in our ves- 
sels, has not long since been abolished: A glorious 
navy is ours ; a glorious whaling fleet have we when 
such a system is suffered to exist. What a spectacle 
of Republican perfection we present to the world ! 

Where the abuse of a privilege exceeds the bene- 
fits resulting from it ; where it has never produced a 
change for the better, that privilege should be at 
once abolished. A sacred maxim, sanctioned by the 



SYSTEM OF FLOGGLNG. 497 

dictates of humanity, and consecrated by ages, tells 
us it is better ninety-and-nine guilty men should 
escape than one innocent man suffer. But this 
maxim has been reversed. To such perfection has 
this system of flogging been carried of late years that, 
whether a man be innocent or guilty, if it is sup- 
posed it can in any way add to the dignity of the 
quarter-deck, he is seized up and flogged. This 
power was designed for useful purposes; but its 
abuse prevails to a far greater extent than could have 
been apprehended. It is the primary cause of mutiny 
and bloodshed on the high seas. Experience has 
taught us that a discretionary power of this kind, in 
the hands of rude and ignorant men, is ever subject 
to gross perversion. Its abuses far exceed, in their 
demoralizing tendency, the good done by its appro- 
priate and judicious exercise. In a majority of cases 
it is made the medium of gratifying the basest pas- 
sions: malice of heart, cruelty, and a domineering 
and arbitrary spirit. Would it be safe to abolish 
flogging ? I answer, not only would it be safe to do 
so, but it would be the strongest bulwark against in- 
subordination and mutiny. Let flogging in every 
form, and under all circumstances, be abolished, and 
there will no longer exist any occasion for so bar- 
barous a custom. Give the masters of vessels no dis- 
cretion in the matter. As a general rule, they are 
incapable of making a proper use of a discretionary 
power. Human nature can not always resist so great 
a temptation ; and it is never expedient to give the 

R R R 



498 FLOGGING UNNECESSARY AND DEGRADING. 

strong, or those in whom authority is vested, the 
power to tyrannize over the weak. 

I am not prepared to deny that severity is some- 
times necessary ; but I deny that punishments of a 
degrading character are either necessary or expedi- 
ent. What good has ever been effected by render- 
ing men callous to all those moral obligations which 
distinguish them as responsible beings 1 Sailors are 
not so depraved as to be insensible to kindness and 
good treatment. Convinced of their errors, they 
would avail themselves of the benefits of moral per- 
suasion in a far greater ratio than they improve by 
being degraded. Under the present disgraceful sys- 
tem of punishment, the laws of nature uphold them 
in throwing off the burden of unjustifiable oppression, 
and maintaining their rights against an arbitrary and 
iniquitous custom. The almost insurmountable dif- 
ficulties under which they labor, in obtaining redress 
commensurate with their wrongs, has already taught 
them the absurdity of depending upon laws so loosely 
administered, and so liable to gross perversion. They 
have very little reason to rely upon the legal tribunals 
of their country for the maintenance of their rights. 

Granting the assumption, for the sake of argument, 
that flogging is necessary in extreme cases, and to 
what does it amount 1 Simply to this : that the 
master of a vessel, in his conception of the character 
of an offense, not in that of an impartial tribunal, 
may punish a seaman, and the seaman is bound to 
submit to the punishment ; for, if he resist, and re- 



DESTROYS SELF-RESPECT. 499 

fuse duty, he is carried home in irons as a mutineer. 
It is true, the master is liable to prosecution for un- 
justifiable severity ; but what redress does the sufferer 
receive 1 A fine, perhaps, of fifty, or a hundred, or 
five hundred dollars is imposed upon the defendant. 
Is this redress 1 Does this wipe out the stain ? does 
this remove the degradation 1 Upon what principle 
can such a burlesque be denominated justice ? There 
are few seamen, indeed, though I do not deny that 
there may be some, so utterly lost to self-respect, and 
to the respect of their fellow-creatures, as to conceive 
themselves compensated for a degradation so mon- 
strous by a paltry sum of money. 

It is not a matter of surprise that those who are 
the most violent in their denunciations of the op- 
pression and injustice of our Southern institutions are 
peculiarly sensitive about the freedom of the whole 
human race. Massachusetts being largely interested 
in the whale fishery, has constantly before her prac- 
tical demonstrations of the horrors of slavery. The 
philanthropists of that state will, it is to be hoped, 
make some grand efforts in behalf of the seamen em- 
ployed in their whaling fleet, as soon as they dispose 
of the African race. 

It may be asked, are these abuses the only sources 
of crime on the high seas ? By no means. One of 
the objects which I have in view is to expose some 
enormities in a higher quarter. 

"As the sun disdains not to give light to the 
smallest worm," says Sir Philip Sidney, " so a virt- 



500 THE CONSULAR SYSTEM. 

uous prince protects the life of his meanest subject." 
The remark may, with slight variation, be applied to 
those who administer this government. Our Con- 
stitution provides that they shall guard with a vigi- 
lant eye, not only the life, but the liberty, rights, and 
happiness, social and political, of every citizen. 
Under our present consular system this great and 
comprehensive object is defeated, No nation upon 
earth is disgraced with such a miserable apology for 
a consular system. In that respect we are pre-emi- 
nent over all the rest of the world : we have the 
weakest and most ineffectual laws for the protection 
of our citizens abroad. In its incipient state, it was 
perhaps as good as could have been devised, consid- 
ering the embarrassed condition of the treasury, 
and the difficulty of raising a sufficient revenue to 
meet the pressing expenses of the government. But 
the aspect of things has changed, and it now be- 
comes us to maintain the dignity of the rank we 
have assumed in the scale of nations. How is this 
end best to be accomplished 1 By a due regard to 
the teachings of experience. The admonitions of 
the past have ever proved the best guide to the per- 
fection of governments. No citizen of the United 
States who has ever visited a foreign country, and 
witnessed the operation of our consular system, will 
deny its imperfections, or its inferiority to those of 
other nations, based upon the policy of a definite 
and adequate remuneration for services rendered. 
When the prospect of emolument from commercial 



ITS IMPERFECTIONS. 501 

speculations is the only inducement held out to our 
representatives abroad, it is hardly to be expected 
that the business of the government will receive that 
constant and faithful attention which alone insures 
its efficient discharge. Private and pecuniary inter- 
ests must inevitably alienate the feelings of our offi- 
cers from the duties of their station. Men are not 
often so blind to their own advantages as to neglect 
the business upon which they depend for a subsist- 
ence, out of pure patriotism, or from any sense of 
duty to their fellow-citizens. 

There are very few ports at which our consuls 
are stationed where the perquisites of the office are 
of sufficient importance to render the consulate any 
object, without the adventitious aid of private spec- 
ulation.* No matter how much sagacity and dis- 
crimination may be exercised in the appointment 
of men, the duties of whose office are by the very 
laws of nature made secondary to their private in- 
terests, abuses must inevitably exist. The effects of 
such a system are the establishment of monopolies 
in commerce, and petty despotisms in foreign lands, 
where the voice of the suffering and injured is too 
distant to be heard. Justice and humanity are for- 
gotten in the selfish thirst for gain. Complaint is 
too often unavailing, for what redress can be had 

* It may not be fresh in the memory of the reader that the only 
consuls from this country who receive salaries are those stationed at 
London, Tangiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Beirout, each of whom is paid 
per annum, except the last, who receives but $500. 



502 COLLUSIONS BETWEEN CAPTAINS AND CONSULS. 

where party influence is in the balance ! Ask the 
American citizen who has felt the sway of official 
insolence and perverted authority over his rights; 
ask the suffering mariner. 

Now it stands to reason that this deplorable state 
of things must exist so long as the system remains in 
its present condition. In most of the foreign ports 
where consuls are stationed, the commanders of 
whaling vessels, when they put in for refreshments, 
or for the purpose of refitting, are obliged to expend 
considerable sums of money, exclusive of the fee for 
depositing their papers, in the purchase of various 
stores necessary for another cruise. As the fees 
alone would not be any object, the consuls are 
obliged to depend upon their own private business. 
They keep on hand all articles required by vessels 
touching at the port, and sell them on such terms as 
the market will permit, or, if there be no compe- 
tition, on their own terms. The captains finding it 
convenient to deal with the consuls — particularly 
when apprehensive that the crews will complain of 
cruel or unjust treatment — and the consuls being 
desirous of propitiating the friendly feelings of the 
captains, a mutual understanding is established which 
prohibits any thing like justice toward seamen. The 
consul understands perfectly well that if he interferes 
in behalf of the seamen, the captain will not deal with 
him ; and the captain knows equally well that if he 
deals with the consul, that officer will have too much 
regard for his own purse to make use of his official 



UNCERTAINTY OF THE LAW. 503 

power to the disadvantage of so good a customer. 
Consequently, it is all mockery to talk about the 
protection of the rights of seamen by an American 
consul. 

I venture to assert that a large proportion of the 
crimes committed on the high seas might be prevent- 
ed by proper consular regulations. Can we blame 
men constituted like ourselves, deficient neither in 
pride nor feeling, possessed of warm hearts and 
strong passions, if, when they apply for a redress of 
their grievances to those whose duty it is to aid and 
protect them, and receive but contumely and injus- 
tice, they should take the law into their own hands 
— redress their own wrongs 1 They have no reason 
to look for justice at home. Experience has taught 
them how uncertain the laws of their own country 
are, and how tardy and partial are its awards. Op- 
pressed by grievous wrongs, they rise and throw off 
the burden. This is mutiny — this is called crime. 
Be it so ; but it is a species of crime which is inhe- 
rent in every manly heart. When protection is de- 
nied our own citizens abroad under the pretended 
segis of our laws, the worst results must be expected. 

Now I maintain that the whole system, whatever 
it may be in theory, is in point of fact anti-republi- 
can and despotic. " Whatever excellence, whatever 
freedom," says Mackintosh, " is discoverable in gov- 
ernments has been infused into them by the shock 
of a revolution, and their subsequent progress has 
been only the accumulation of abuse. It is hence 



504 RETURN TO FIRST PRINCIPLES. 

that the most enlightened politicians have recog- 
nized the necessity of frequently recalling govern- 
ments to their first principles." This is a truth of 
which the history of our own government has afford- 
ed a striking proof. We have now a naval aristoc- 
racy the most arrogant and despotic, perhaps, in the 
world. We have a whaling marine in which cru- 
elty and despotism are fostered with special care. 
We have a consular system which, instead of pro- 
tecting American citizens, is made the medium of 
private emolument, and sanctions the grossest op- 
pressions. All this may be modern Republicanism ; 
but I should greatly prefer a return to first principles 
— -justice to all men, equal rights and equal protec- 
tion to every citizen. 

There is no class of men in the world who are 
so unfairly dealt with, so oppressed, so degraded, as 
the seamen who man the vessels engaged in the 
American whale fishery. I do not speak from my 
own limited experience alone. The testimony of 
every unprejudiced seaman with whom I have con- 
versed on the subject establishes the truth of the as- 
sertion. Instead of being a monument of our glory, 
the condition of this oppressed class is a reproach to 
our country — a disgrace to the age of civilization in 
which we live. 

At best, the life of a whaleman is fraught with 
dangers and hardships. His duties differ widely 
from those of the merchant seaman ; his compensa- 
tion is more uncertain ; his enjoyments are fewer, 



HARDSHIPS OF THE WHALEMAN. 505 

and his risk of life greater. Many of the comforts 
of the one are denied the other. The merchant 
sailor has regular and steady employment, sure pay, 
good fare, and the protection of the law. He is sel- 
dom more than three or four months out from port 
to port. He knows that, however severe may be his 
treatment, there is a prospect of sure and speedy re- 
dress. But how is it with the whaleman I From 
the time he leaves port he is beyond the sphere of 
human rights : he is a slave till he returns. He 
sees little of the pleasures of shore life. He is fre- 
quently six or eight months on a cruise without see- 
ing land. All this time he is subject to severe labor, 
the poorest and meanest fare, and such treatment as 
an ignorant and tyrannical master, standing in no 
fear of the law, chooses to inflict upon him. On 
the cruising ground he not unfrequently stands from 
four to six hours a day at the mast-head, under the 
scorching rays of a tropical sun, or exposed to the 
cutting blasts of a frigid zone. He has also his 
tricks at the helm night and day. At times, when 
there has been a run of luck, he is out in the boats, 
toiling with his oar from six to ten hours on a 
stretch, and for weeks he has but four or five hours' 
rest out of the twenty-four. Covered with oil, suf- 
focating under the fumes of the try-works, in immi- 
nent and perpetual danger of life and limb, he thus 
toils on, conscious that the proceeds of his labor are 
not for him. Nominally he receives his proportion, 
but in point of fact it amounts to nothing. His out- 

S s s 



506 BRUTAL CONDUCT OF OFFICERS. 

fit costs him twice its real value, and if, after three 
years of incessant labor, he returns to the port from 
which he sailed with a few hundred dollars due him, 
he considers himself peculiarly fortunate. But how 
often does he return in debt or penniless ! Worse 
than all, he is the slave of others, perhaps his infe- 
riors in every manly attribute. He is flogged for 
the most trifling offense, cursed when he strives to 
please, trampled and spit upon, without the power 
to resent the indignities. Remonstrance is a course 
to which he dare not resort. The officers, eager 
after promotion, cringe to the captain, and are ever 
ready to win a word of approbation by bestowing 
upon their inferiors in rank the choicest epithets in 
the calendar of vulgarity and blasphemy, and to show 
by word and deed that they are qualified, by every 
heartless and brutal attribute, for the discharge of 
their duty. It is painful to trace his career to its 
close. With a crushed spirit, he finds himself once 
more in his native land. But he is penniless and 
degraded. Who is there to befriend him 1 Who 
to console him ? He seeks oblivion in the rum-bot- 
tle — falls into the snares of a wary and designing 
set of agents, and is shipped again, to waste away 
his manhood in the service of others, who, seated in 
their easy arm-chairs, are gloating over their ill-got- 
ten gains. Such is the life of a whaleman. 

But this, some may say, is a picture of extremes. 
Not so : it is a picture of ordinary life, which may 
be attested by their own observation. 



RARE EXCEPTIONS. 507 

I am willing to admit that there are exceptions. 
Prejudice, springing from an innate detestation of 
oppression in all its forms, has not blinded me to 
justice. In many cases the agents and outfitters 
are imposed upon by a class of swindlers and fugi- 
tives from justice, who, in order to obtain a living on 
easy terms, procure money and clothing from them, 
and, as soon as an opportunity occurs, make their 
escape to another sea-port. There are, in other 
cases, humane and liberal owners, who know as 
little of the conduct of their captains toward the 
crews as is known by those who have no direct 
interest in the matter. Again, there are captains 
who treat their crews with kindness and humanity, 
and who deprecate cruelty with as much warmth 
and sincerity as the most ardent philanthropists in 
existence. Such men are, unhappily, not deemed 
the best fitted for the service ; arid for this reason 
they are scarce. Where the exceptions are so rare, 
they can hardly be said to affect the general rule. 

I know very well that sweeping assertion proves 
nothing ; still I flatter myself the plain narrative of 
facts which I have given proves that what I have here 
advanced is not without foundation. Prudence dic- 
tates that disagreeable truths should be carefully told ; 
and if I have not been guided by it in all respects, 
it is because my feelings are enlisted in the cause of 
the oppressed. I have a loathing contempt for the 
drivelling arguments which are constantly urged in 
support of tyranny. Away with all such miserable 



508 CONCLUSION. 

subterfuges ! He who abuses his authority by per- 
verting it to base purposes, tramples upon the rights 
and feelings of those over whom fortune has placed 
him, refuses to listen to remonstrance, and whose 
craven heart would wither within him but for the 
aid and support of the powerful, is the most despi- 
cable, the most contemptible of cowards. Nay, 

" He is a wretch, whom 'twere base flattery to call coward." 

I have thus discharged what I deemed to be a 
duty. If injustice has been done to any man or 
class of men, it has not been intentional. I may 
have erred in judgment, but I have not knowingly 
wronged even those whom I have censured. The 
press is the most powerful guardian of liberty and 
justice, and will not long suffer abuses, when they 
become known, to exist. I trust the day is at hand 
when the rights of seamen can not be invaded with 
impunity. 



APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX. 



It is hardly necessary for me to state that I make no pretensions to 
scientific attainments. At the time of writing the preceding narrative, 
I had never read a single work of any description relating to the whale 
fishery. Since my return from the Indian Ocean, the study of the natural 
history of the whale has engrossed no small share of my attention ; but, 
wishing my journal to stand upon its own footing, I have not embraced 
in it the information which I might have obtained from the works of 
more experienced writers. As an offset, however, to a light and sketchy 
narrative of mere personal adventures, professing to be nothing more 
than a delineation of the life of a whaleman, I am induced to believe a 
compilation of more solid reading matter will not be altogether unac- 
ceptable. Having had access to the various works in the Library of Con- 
gress on the whale fishery, I flatter myself I shall be able to present to 
the reader some interesting and curious faets, not easily found elsewhere, 
and which may serve to satisfy his mind on many particulars not within 
the scope of my observation. I wish it to be borne in mind that, in mak- 
ing this compilation, I am indebted to the writings of others, and lay no 
claims to originality, being quite willing to rest my chances of approba- 
tion or censure on the foregoing narrative alone. Convinced that I can 
not improve what others, better versed in the subject, have bestowed so 
much labor upon, I shall, for the most part, give the extracts without ad- 
dition or alteration. 

I have found it extremely difficult to obtain any definite and authentic 
facts in relation to the origin of the whale fishery. The works which I 
have before me, containing the earliest records on this subject, are of so 
conflicting a character, that, after wading through volumes embracing a 
great variety of other topics, I am puzzled upon which to place the most 
reliance. Instead, therefore, of attempting any consecutive arrangement 
of these records, I shall lay before the reader such extracts from works of 
an authentic character as will enable him to judge for himself; and this I 
shall endeavor to do with as much regard to order as the nature of the sub- 
ject will permit. It is true, I present nothing new ; but I find an apology for 
that in the fact that it took me many weeks to collate what I do present ; 
and no compilation of the kind having yet been made, the inquirer will, 
at least, be saved the trouble of ransacking more than twenty volumin- 
ous works to find what is here embraced within the limits of a few dozen 
pages. I am confident the rare and interesting character of the extracts 
will amply repay a perusal, and my only regret is, that I am unable to 
give them in a more methodical form. 



512 APPENDIX. 

It is admitted, I believe, that the Norwegians were the first to engage 
in the capture of the whale, and that they carried on a fishery long before 
any other European nation. As early as 887, according to Anderson (in 
his Historical and Chronological Deduction of the Origin of Commerce), 
or, as Hakluyt thinks, about 890, " our excellent King Alfred received 
from one Octher, a Norwegian, an account of his discoveries northward 
on the Coast of Norway ; a coast which seems to have been before very 
little, if at all, known to the Anglo-Saxons. There is one very remark- 
able thing in this account ; for he tells King Alfred ' that he sailed along 
the Norway coast, so far north as commonly the whale-hunters used to 
travel ;' which shows the great antiquity of whale fishing, though undoubt- 
edly then, and long after, the use of what is usually called whalebone was 
not known ; so that they fished for whales merely on account of their fat 
or oil." Macpherson, in his improved edition of this work, in which many 
of the statements are corrected and valuable additions made, does not 
materially differ from Anderson. The following quotation from Henry's 
History of Great Britain, giving the particulars of Octher's narrative, 
will not be uninteresting : " In addition to all these [expeditions against 
the Danish pirates] and many other cares, Alfred encouraged foreigners 
that were in his service, and some of his own subjects, to undertake voy- 
ages for making discoveries, and opening new sources of trade, both to- 
ward the north and south ; of which it will be proper to give some ac- 
count. There is still extant a very curious relation of one of these voy- 
ages, undertaken by one Ochter, a Norwegian. This relation was given 
by the adventurer himself at his return, and written down from his mouth 
by King Alfred with his own hand. The style of this precious fragment 
of antiquity is remarkably simple, and it seems to have been designed 
only as a memorandum for the king's own private use. This simplicity 
of style is imitated in the following translation from the original Saxon, 
of that part of it which it is thought necessary to lay before the reader. 
Ochter, after giving a very curious description of the country inhabited 
by the Finmans, proceeds to say, that ' he visited this country also with 
a view of catching horse-whales, which had bones of very great value for 
their teeth, of which he brought some to the king ; that their skins were 
good for making ropes for ships. These whales are much less than oth- 
er whales, being only five ells long. The best whales were catched in 
his own country, of which some were forty-eight, some fifty yards long. 
He said that he was one of six who had killed sixty in two days.' " 

These horse-whales, spoken of by Ochter, were what we call sea-hor- 
ses, and the Dutch sea-cows, or morses. It is probable the length of the 
whales caught in his own country is greatly exaggerated. Beal quotes 
from many of the ancient writers instances of extraordinary exaggera- 
tions of this kind, and doubts whether any whales were ever seen of a 
greater length than eighty or ninety feet, even admitting that they were 
once found of a larger growth than any now seen or captured. 

The earliest authentic data that I have been able to find respecting the 
origin of the whale fishery, as a regular and permanent branch of trade, 



APPENDIX. 513 

is that furnished by M'Culloch, in his Commercial Dictionary, which, al- 
though little more than a condensation from the works of Anderson, Mac- 
pherson, and others, is of a more reliable character than any similar com- 
pilation I have met with. It has often been asserted that the whale fish- 
ery had its origin on the North American coast, and that the inhabitants 
of Plymouth province were the first to engage in it as a systematic busi- 
ness. We can justly claim the honor of having done more to extend and 
render profitable this branch of trade, under very discouraging circum- 
stances, than any nation upon earth, but not that of having commenced 
it before other nations. At the time the inhabitants of Massachusetts 
were making their first attempts in the capture of the whale (about 1650), 
the Biscayans had already extensively engaged in that business, the 
Dutch and the English bad followed their example, the Russia Company 
had obtained an exclusive charter for it, and many other nations of Eu- 
rope had directed their attention to the northern fisheries. 

" It is probably true, as has been sometimes contended," says M'Cul- 
loch, " that the Norwegians occasionally captured the whale before any 
other European nation engaged in so perilous an enterprise. But the 
early efforts of the Norwegians were not conducted on any systematic 
plan, and should be regarded only in the same point of view as the fish- 
ing expeditions of the Esquimaux. The Biscayans were certainly the 
first people who prosecuted the whale fishery as a regular commercial 
pursuit. They carried it on with great vigor and success in the 12th, 
13th, and 14th centuries. In 1261, a tithe was laid upon the tongues of 
whales imported into Bayonne, they being there a highly-esteemed spe- 
cies of food. In 1388, Edward III. relinquished to Peter de Puayanne a 
duty of £6 sterling a whale, laid on those brought into the port of Biaritz, 
to indemnify him for the extraordinary expenses he had incurred in fit- 
ting out a fleet for the service of his majesty. This fact proves beyond 
dispute that the fishery carried on from Biaritz at the period referred to 
must have been very considerable indeed ; and it was also prosecuted to 
a great extent from Cibourre, Vieux Boucan, and, subsequently, from 
Rochelle and other places. 

" The whales captured by the Biscayans were not so large as those 
that are taken in the Polar Seas, and are supposed to have been attracted 
southward in the pursuit of herrings. They were not very productive of 
oil, but their flesh was used as an article of food, and the whalebone was 
applied to a variety of useful purposes, and brought a very high price. 

" This branch of industry ceased long since, and from the same cause 
that has occasioned the cessation of the whale fishery in many other pla- 
ces — the want of fish. Whether it were that the whales, from a sense 
of the dangers to which they exposed themselves in coming southward, 
no longer left the Icy Sea, or that the breed had been nearly destroyed, 
certain it is that they gradually became less numerous m the Bay of Bis- 
cay, and at length ceased almost entirely to frequent that sea ; and the 
fishers being obliged to pursue their prey upon the banks of Newfound- 
land and the coasts of Iceland, the French fishery rapidly fell off. 
T T T 



514 APPENDIX. 

" The voyages of the Dutch and English to the Northern Ocean, in 
order, if possible, to discover a passage through it to India, though they 
failed of their main object, laid open the haunts of the whale. The com- 
panions of Barentz, who discovered Spitzbergen in 1596, and of Hudson, 
who soon after explored the same seas, represented to their countrymen 
the amazing number of whales with which they were crowded. Vessels 
were in consequence fitted out for the Northern whale fishery by the 
English and Dutch, the harpooners and a part of the crew being Biscay- 
ans. They did not, however, confine their efforts to a fair competition 
with each other as fishers. The Muscovy Company obtained a royal 
charter, prohibiting the ships of all other nations from fishing in the seas 
round Spitzbergen, on pretext of its having first been discovered by Sir 
Hugh Willoughby. There can, however, be no doubt that Barentz, and 
not Sir Hugh, was its original discoverer ; though, supposing that the 
fact had been otherwise, the attempt to exclude other nations from the 
surrounding seas, on such a ground, was not one that could be tolerated. 
The Dutch, who were at that time prompt to embark in any commercial 
pursuit that gave any hopes of success, eagerly entered on this new ca- 
reer, and sent out ships fitted equally for the purposes of fishing, and of 
defense against the attacks of others. The Muscovy Company having 
attempted to vindicate its pretensions by force, several encounters took 
place between their ships and those of the Dutch. The conviction at 
length became general that there was room enough for all parties in the 
Northern Seas ; and in order to avoid the chance of coming into collision 
with each other, they parcelled Spitzbergen and the adjacent ocean in 
districts, which were respectively assigned to the English, Dutch, Ham- 
burghers, French, Danes, &c. 

" The Dutch, thus left to prosecute the fishery without having their 
attention diverted by hostile attacks, speedily acquired a decided supe- 
riority over all their competitors. 

" When the Europeans first began to prosecute the fishery on the coast 
of Spitzbergen, whales were every where found in vast numbers. Igno- 
rant ot the strength and stratagems of the formidable foe by whom they 
were now assailed, instead of betraying any symptoms of fear, they sur- 
rounded the ships and crowded all the bays. Their capture was, in con- 
sequence, a comparatively easy task, and many were killed which it was 
afterward necessary to abandon, from the ships being already full. 

" While fish were thus easily obtained, it was the practice to boil the 
blubber on shore in the North, and to fetch home only the oil and whale- 
bone ; and perhaps nothing can give a more vivid idea of the extent and 
importance of the Dutch fishery in the middle of the 17th century, than 
the fact that they constructed a considerable village, the houses of which 
were all previously prepared in Holland, on the Isle of Amsterdam, on 
the northern shore of Spitzbergen, to why** they gave the appropriate 
name of Smeerenberg (from smeeren, to melt, and berg, a mountain). This 
was the grand rendezvous of the Dutch whale ships, and was amply pro- 
vided with boilers, tanks, and every sort of apparatus required for pre- 



APPENDIX. 515 

paring the oil and bone. But this was not all. The whale ships were 
attended with a number of provision ships, the cargoes of which were 
landed at Smeerenberg, which abounded during the busy season with 
well-furnished shops, good inns, &c. ; so that many of the conveniences 
and enjoyments of Amsterdam were found within about eleven degrees 
of the Pole ! It is particularly mentioned that the sailors and others were 
every morning supplied with what a Dutchman regards as a very great 
luxury, hot rolls for breakfast. Batavia and Smeerenberg were founded 
nearly at the same period, and it was for a considerable time doubted 
whether the latter was not the more important establishment. — (De Reste, 
Histoire des Peuches, &c, tome i., p. 42.) 

" During the flourishing period of the Dutch fishery, the quantity of oil 
made in the North was so great that it could not be carried on by the 
whale ships ; and every year vessels were sent out in ballast to assist 
in importing the produce of the fishery. 

" But the same cause which had destroyed the fishery of the Biscayans, 
ruined that which was carried on in the immediate neighborhood of Spitz- 
bergen. Whales became gradually less common, and more and more dif- 
ficult to catch. They retreated first to the open seas, and then to the 
great banks of ice on the eastern coast of Greenland. When the site of 
the fishery had been thus removed to a very great distance from Spitz- 
bergen, it was found most economical to send the blubber direct to Hol- 
land. Smeerenberg was, in consequence, totally deserted, and its posi- 
tion is now with difficulty discernible." 

"When in the most flourishing state, toward 1680* the Dutch whale 
fishery employed about 260 ships and 14,000 sailors." 

This brings us nearly up to the period when the settlers in North Amer- 
ica began to fit out vessels for this service. It will be seen, however, 
that they had been for some time previously engaged in the fishery near 
the shores, in boats and canoes. 

My attention was directed by the Hon. Mr. Grinnell, a gentleman bet- 
ter acquainted with the history of the whale fishery than perhaps any 
man in the United States, to a very curious and entertaining account of 
the rise and progress of the whale fishery, by an old resident of Nan- 
tucket, Mr. Obed Macy,* a descendant of Thomas Macy, the first settler. 
From this work I glean the following facts in relation to the first at- 
tempts made by the inhabitants of Nantucket to capture the " great levi- 
athan of the deep." 

Driven by religious persecution from his home in Massachusetts, whith- 
er he had emigrated from England in 1640, Thomas Macy removed with 
his family to the Island of Nantucket in the fall of 1659, where he estab- 
lished a settlement. 

" The whaling business was not commenced till several years after the 
settlement of the island. In the interval, the people were occupied in 

* The History of Nantucket : being 1 a compendious Account of the first Settlement of the 
Island by the English, together with the Rise and Progress of the Whale Fishery, and other 
historical Facts relative to said Island and its Inhabitants. By Obed Macy. 1835. 



516 APPENDIX. 

farming, or in fishing near the shores. Fish were plenty, and easily- 
caught. The Indians were instructed in the mode of fishing practiced 
by the whites, and, in return, the whites were assisted by the Indians in 
pursuing the business. Previous to their acquaintance with the English, 
the natives fished with a rude line of twisted grass, to which they at- 
tached a stone for a sinker, and a clumsy hook of bone. Some of the 
sinkers just mentioned remain to this day. They resemble a ship's block 
in form, and weigh two or three pounds. With this inconvenient appa- 
ratus, they caught but few fish compared with the number obtained by 
the better-adapted hook and line of the Europeans. 

" The first whaling expedition was undertaken by some of the original 
purchasers of the island, the circumstances of which are handed down 
by tradition. A whale, of the kind called ' scragg,' came into the har- 
bor, and continued there three days. This excited the curiosity of the 
people, and led them to devise measures to prevent his return out of the 
harbor. They accordingly invented, and caused to be wrought for them, 
a harpoon, with which they attacked and killed the whale. This first 
success encouraged them to undertake whaling as a permanent business, 
whales being at that time numerous in the vicinity of the shores. In 
furtherance of their design, they made a contract with James Lopar to 
settle on the island and engage in the business." 

Lopar made a contract with some of the islanders, and a company was 
organized for the purpose of carrying on the business systematically. 
An agreement was drawn up and duly signed, allowing Lopar one third 
of the proceeds, and two thirds to those who embarked in the enterprise 
with him. 

"As it now appeared that there was a prospect of carrying the busi- 
ness of whaling into effect, the town, willing to give it every encourage- 
ment that it required, agreed with John Savage to remove thither with 
his family, and to serve them in the occupation of cooper ; and, to induce 
his compliance, to give him ten acres of land, and commonage for three 
cows and one horse — nearly on the same conditions as those above men- 
tioned in relation to Lopar. 

" How far this plan succeeded we are in a great measure unacquainted ; 
the profits of the business, however, were sufficient to encourage its 
pursuit. Finding that the people of Cape Cod had made greater profi- 
ciency in the art of whale catching than themselves, the inhabitants, in 
1690, sent thither and employed a man by the name of Ichabod Paddock, 
to instruct them in the best manner of killing whales and extracting their 
oil. The pursuit of whales commenced in boats from the shore, and in- 
creased from year to year till it became the principal branch of business 
with the islanders. The Indians, ever manifesting a disposition for fish- 
ing of every kind, readily joined with the whites in this new pursuit, and 
willingly submitted to any station assigned them. By their assistance 
the whites were enabled to fit out and man a far greater number of boats 
than they could have done of themselves. Nearly every boat was 
manned in part, many almost entirely, by natives : some of the most 



APPENDIX. 517 

active of them were made steersmen, and some were allowed now to 
head the boats : thus encouraged, they soon became experienced whale- 
men, and capable of conducting any part of the business. 

" They sometimes, in pleasant days during the winter season, ventured 
off in their boats nearly out of sight of land. It has often been remarked 
by the aged, that the winters were not so windy and boisterous at that 
time as at present, though quite as cold ; and that it would sometimes 
continue calm a week, or even a fortnight. 

" The process called saving the whales after they had been killed and 
towed ashore, was to use a crab, an instrument similar to a capstan, to 
heave and turn the blubber off as fast as it was cut. The blubber was 
then put into their carts and carried to their try-houses, which, at that 
early period, were placed near their dwelling-houses, where the oil was 
boiled out and fitted for market. 

" To enable them to discover whales at a considerable distance from 
the land, a large spar was erected, and cleats fixed to it, by which the 
whalemen could climb to the top, and there keep a good look-out for their 
game. There was no perceptible decrease of the number of whales dur- 
ing the period of the first thirty or forty years from the commencement 
of the fishery. It appears that in 1726 they were very numerous, for 
eighty-six were taken in that year, a greater number than were obtained 
in any one year either before or since that date. The greatest number 
ever killed and brought to shore in one day was eleven. This mode of 
whaling continued until about the year 1760, when the whales became 
scarce, and it was by degrees discontinued. Since that date, whales 
have only occasionally been obtained by boats from the shore. 

" It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the people had to learn the 
business of whaling, and to carry it on under many hazardous circum- 
stances, yet not a single white person was killed or drowned in the pur- 
suit, in the course of seventy years preceding 1760. The whales hith- 
erto caught near the shores were of the right species. 

" The first spermaceti whale known to the inhabitants was found dead, 
and ashore, on the southwest part of the island. It caused considerable 
excitement, some demanding a part of the prize under one pretence, 
some under another, and all were anxious to behold so strange an ani- 
mal. There were so many claimants of the prize, that it was difficult to 
tell to whom it should belong. The natives claimed the whale because 
they found it ; the whites, to whom the natives made known their dis- 
covery, claimed it by a right comprehended, as they affirmed, in the pur- 
chase of the island by the original patent. An officer of the crown made 
his claim, and pretended to seize the fish in the name of his majesty as 
being property without any particular owner. After considerable discus- 
sion between these contending parties, it was finally settled that the 
white inhabitants who first found the whale should share the prize equal- 
ly among themselves. The teeth, which were considered very valuable, 
had been extracted by a white man and an Indian before any others had 
any knowledge of the whale. All difficulty being now settled, a compa- 



518 APPENDIX. 

ny was formed, who commenced cutting the whale in pieces convenient 
for transportation to their try- works. The sperm produced from the head 
was thought to be of great value for medical purposes. It was used 
both as an internal and an external application ; and such was the credu- 
lity of the people, that they considered it a certain cure for all diseases ; 
it was sought with avidity, and, for a while, was esteemed to be worth 
its weight in silver. The whole quantity of oil obtained from this whale 
is not known. 

" Whales being plenty near the shores, people were led to conclude 
that they should find them still more numerous were they to pursue them 
with vessels into the ' deep.' That the pursuit of whales into the ocean 
was early anticipated, we know by an anecdote related by one of our an- 
cestors. In the year 1690, the same in which Ichabod Paddock was sent 
for from Cape Cod, as before related, some persons were on a high hill, 
afterward called Folly House Hill, observing the whales spouting and 
sporting with each other, when one observed, ' There,'' pointing to the 
sea, ' is a green pasture where our children's grand-children will go for 
bread.' It was many years, however, before they began to whale with 
vessels, but at what precise time it happened we have no means of 
knowing. 

" Previous to whaling in vessels, it was necessary to determine where 
the harbor should be. It has already been mentioned that the one at 
Madacket was at first preferred ; but this was afterward relinquished for 
the present harbor, which is larger, more land-locked, and in many other 
respects better adapted to the purposes of navigation than the first-men- 
tioned. The south' side of this harbor was first selected for the site of 
the town ; the proprietors, therefore, laid out house lots, or homesteads, 
of one hundred rods in length, and three or four rods in width ; but many 
inconveniences were afterward found to attend this location, and the 
present situation of the town was soon after selected. It being now de- 
termined where the town should be, it became necessary to give it a 
name, and it was accordingly called Sherburne, by order of Francis Love- 
lace, Esq., governor of the province of New York, in his written direc- 
tions bearing date April 18th, 1673. 

" The first spermaceti whale taken by the Nantucket whalers was killed 
by Christopher Hussey. He was cruising near the shore for right whales, 
and was blown off some distance from the land by a strong northerly 
wind, where he fell in with a school of that species of whales, and killed 
one and brought it home. At what date this adventure took place is not 
fully ascertained, but it is supposed to be not far from 1712. This event 
gave new life to the business, for they immediately began with vessels 
of about thirty tons to whale out in the ' deep,' as it was then called, to 
distinguish it from shore whaling. They fitted out for cruises of about 
six weeks, carried a few hogsheads, enough, perhaps, to carry the blubbers 
of one whale, with which, after obtaining it, they returned home. The 
owners then took charge of the blubber, and tried out the oil, and imme- 
diately sent the vessel out again. At the commencement of this mode 



APPENDIX. 519 

of whaling, it was found necessary to erect try-houses near the landing, 
and a number were built on the beach a little south of the wharves. 
North from these they erected small buildings, called warehouses, in 
which they put their whaling apparatus and other outfits. 

" In 1715, the number of vessels engaged in the whaling business was 
six, all sloops, from thirty to forty tons burden each, which produced 
£1100 sterling, or $4888 88 cents. 

" As the shipping increased, it was found indispensably necessary to 
have wharves. The first built is that now called Straight Wharf, con- 
structed in 1723. Previous to this, there had been places built off, called 
landing-places, which were but temporary, and were often broken up by 
winter storms. 

" The island was now in a flourishing condition. The inhabitants 
were fast increasing in number and wealth ; the land was principally pur- 
chased of the natives ; it was very productive when improved ; the na- 
tives were cordially enlisted in the service of the whites ; fish and fowls 
were plenty ; the whaling had become a most profitable employment, 
and had promised business for all. What a prospect must this have 
been to a people like them, remarkable for their industry and prudence, 
never so well pleased as when they had as much business as they could 
perform. This being the general character of the inhabitants, they in- 
creased in wealth as fast as could be expected. This business, it is 
true, did not afford great profits — less, perhaps, than almost any other ; 
but the people, being of a frugal disposition, required but little to keep 
them comfortable, and there were but few among them who aspired after 
great things. 

" As the whaling business was found to answer their expectations, they 
were encouraged to increase the number and size of their vessels. 
Sloops and schooners of from forty to fifty tons were put into the busi- 
ness. Vessels of this size being supposed to be best adapted to whaling 
near the coast, no larger ones were employed for many years. At length 
whales began to be scarce near the shore, and some enterprising persons 
procured larger vessels and sent them out to the southward, as it was 
called, where they cruised until about the first of the seventh month, 
when they came in and refitted, and went to the eastward of the Grand 
Bank, where they continued through the whaling season, unless they 
completed their lading sooner, which frequently happened. The vessels 
that went on these voyages were generally sloops of sixty or seventy 
tons ; their crews were made up in part of Indians, there being usually 
from four to eight in each vessel. They were pleased with the business, 
and always ready to engage in it when called upon. 

" At the close of the whaling season, the vessels were mostly drawn 
on shore for the winter, being considered safer and less expensive in that 
situation than at the wharves. The boats were placed on the beach bot- 
tom upward, and tied together, to prevent disasters in gales of wind, and 
all the whaling gear was put into the warehouses." 

Having followed Mr. Macy thus far in his very interesting account of 



520 APPENDIX. 

the origin of the whale fishery, I shall endeavor to preserve a sort of con- 
nection of the subject by introducing an outline of the rise and progress 
of this pursuit at other points of the American Continent, and in Europe. 
It does not appear that Mr. Macy claims for the early settlers of Nantucket 
the honor of having been the first people near the shores of this Continent 
to engage in the capture of the whale. This is a matter about which his- 
torians differ, and I believe it is conceded by all to be involved in much 
obscurity. The islanders, it appears, were encouraged, by their success 
in capturing a whale which had come into the harbor, to make a contract 
with one James Lopar, " to settle on the island and engage in the busi- 
ness." From this it is but reasonable to infer that Lopar was not a res- 
ident of the island, and that he must have had some experience elsewhere 
in the catching of whales. Next it appears that the people of Cape Cod, 
having made " greater proficiency in the art of whale catching than them- 
selves, the inhabitants in 1690 sent thither and employed a man by the 
name of Ichabod Paddock, to instruct them in the best manner of killing 
whales and extracting their oil." How long the people of Cape Cod had 
been engaged in the business, does not appear ; and, indeed, after a care- 
ful investigation of the subject, I am constrained to believe this interest- 
ing point has never been recorded, and can not now be ascertained, oth- 
erwise than by tradition. The precise date at which the first whale was 
captured on the island of Nantucket is not known, though it appears 
that this event took place some time after the settlement by the original 
purchasers in 1660. Mr. Richard Norwood, who resided at the Ber- 
mudas, states, as will be seen from the extracts which I am about to in- 
troduce, that the whale fishery had been carried on in the bays of those 
islands for " two or three years" prior to 1667. Putting these statements 
together — " several years after the settlement of the island" (Nantucket, 
in 1660), and "two or three years" prior to 1667, at the Bermudas Isl- 
ands, with the proficiency of the people of Cape Cod in 1690, and it is 
very difficult to decide to whom the honor is due. I am greatly aided in 
my researches upon this point by the following compilation from the 
work of a distinguished English writer, who seems to have devoted more 
than ordinary attention to the history of the sperm whale. Having given 
a sketch of the rise and progress of the whale fishery on the island of 
Nantucket, it will be interesting to glance for a moment at the earliest 
records extant, touching the same subject, elsewhere. In the " Natural 
History of the Sperm Whale," a valuable scientific work by Thomas Beale, 
Esq., surgeon to the "Kent" and "Sarah Elizabeth," London whalers, 
and Demonstrator of Anatomy to the Eclectic Society, I find the following 
passages in reference to the early history of the whale fishery, and its 
progress in Europe. It will be seen that Dr. Beale gives us the credit of 
having been the first to engage in this business, though he claims for the 
mother country the honor of having been the first to open the sperm fish- 
ery in the Pacific. 

" The origin of the sperm whale fishery — that is, before it became or- 
ganized as a branch of commerce — like the origin of other fisheries of the 



APPENDIX. 521 

same nature, is involved in such deep mystery as almost altogether to 
defy the searching acumen of the historian. Without looking into the 
ancient, romancing, and classical histories with which most of the coun- 
tries of Europe abound, and which contain wonderful stories of the ap- 
pearance, death, or capture of the sperm whale, or other creatures of the 
same order, it may be sufficient for some of us to know, that during the 
early part of the last century, a few daring individuals, who inhabited the 
shores of the American Continent, fitted out their little crafts, furnished 
with weak and almost impotent weapons, to attack and destroy in its own 
element the mighty monarch of the ocean, in order to rob his immense 
carcass of the valuable commodity with which it is surrounded. But even 
as far back as the year 1667, we find a letter, published in the second vol- 
ume of the Philosophical Transactions, from Mr. Richard Norwood, who 
resided at the Bermudas, which states that the whale fishery had been 
carried on in the bays of those islands for ' two or three years,' evident- 
ly meaning the black whale fishery ; for in other parts he says, ' I hear 
not that they have found any spermaceti in any of these whales ;' but 
subsequently he states in the same letter, ' I have heard from credible 
persons that there is a kind of whale having great teeth, as have the sper- 
maceti at Eleutheria, and others of the Bahama Islands. One of this 
place,' he continues, ' John Perinchief, found one there dead, driven upon 
an island, and though, I think, ignorant in the business, yet got a great 
quantity of spermaceti out of it.' 

" He says again : ' It seems they have not so much oil as ours (mean- 
ing the black whale), but the oil, I hear, is at first like spermaceti, but 
they clarify it, I think, by the fire.' But in vol. iii., Phil. Trans., in a 
letter from the same place, written a year or two afterward, we find 
something like a beginning of the sperm whale fishery threatened by a 
Mr. Richard Stafford, who informs us that he has killed several black 
whales himself, and who is represented as a very intelligent gentleman. 
He says, ' Great stores of whales make use of our coast ;' but in another 
part he states, 'but here have been seen spermaceti whales driven 
upon the shore ; these have divers teeth, about the bigness of a man's 
wrist. I have been,' says he, ' at the Bahama Islands, and there have 
seen this same sort of whale dead on the shore, with sperma all over 
their bodies. Myself, and about twenty others, have agreed to try whether we 
can master and kill them, for I could never hear of any of that sort that was 
killed by any man, such is their fierceness and swiftness.' He concludes by 
remarking, that ' one such whale would be worth many hundred pounds !* 
A weighty reason for the establishment of the fishery, no doubt. The 
same writer, in another part of his letter, states, ' There is one island 
among the Bahamas, which some of our people are settled upon, and 
more are going thither. It is called New Providence, where many rare 
things might be discovered, if the people were but encouraged.' This 
same New Providence afterward became so famous as a whale-fishing sta- 
tion, by the exertions of our American descendants. 

" But even before these needy adventurers commenced their career of 

Uuu 



522 APPENDIX. 

spermaceti hunting, we have had it proved to us that the Indians who 
inhabited the shores of America used to voyage out to sea and attack 
this animal from their canoes, and pierce him with their lances of wood, 
or other instruments of the same material, which were barbed, and which, 
before they were plunged into his flesh, were fastened by a short warp, 
or piece of rope, to a large block of light wood, which was thrown over- 
board the moment the barbed instrument was thrust into its body, which, 
being repeated at every rising of the whale, or when they were so for- 
tunate as to get near enough to do so, in a few instances, by a sort of 
worrying-to-death system, rewarded the enterprising savage with the 
lifeless body of his victim, but which, in most cases, was that of a very 
young one ; and even this, when towed to the shore, it was impossible for 
them to turn over, so that they were obliged to content themselves with 
flinching the fat from one side of the body only. Few, indeed, must these 
instances have been, when we consider the means that were employed in 
the capture of so immense an animal, possessing such enormous strength, 
by which their barbed spears or lances of wood must have been frequently 
shivered to atoms, or drawn from the flesh of the whale, by the resistance 
the blocks of wood to which they were attached must have occasioned 
when the animal became frightened into its utmost speed ; and when we 
know at the present time that by their powerful actions and convulsive 
movements the best tempered iron, of which our harpoons and lances are 
made, frequently becomes twisted to pieces, while the boats which are 
used in the chase are often thrown high into the air with the head, or 
broken to fragments by one blow of the tail of this enormous creature. 

•'But although, as has been before stated, Mr. Richard Stafford had 
threatened to commence the sperm whale fishery at the Bahama Islands, 
it appears rather doubtful whether he did so or not, when we come to pe- 
ruse the letter of the Hon. Paul Dudley, F.R.S., published in 1724 (Phil. 
Trans., vol. xxxiii.), an extract of which states, ' I very lately received 
of one Mr. Atkins, an inhabitant of Boston, in New England, who used the 
whale fishery for ten or twelve years (black whales), and was one of the 
first that went out a fishing for the spermaceti whales, about the year 1720.' 
It also appears in this account that the fishery even then was very little 
understood, for Mr. Atkins himself says, ' He never saw, nor certainly 
heard of a spermaceti female being taken in his life ;' for he states, ' the 
cows of that species of whale being much more timorous than the males, 
and almost impossible to come at, unless when haply found asleep upon 
the water, or detained by their calves.' 

" In another part of his letter the Hon. Paul Dudley states : ' Our peo- 
ple formerly used to kill the whale near the shore, but now they go off 
to sea in sloops and whale boats. Sometimes,' he says, ' the whale is 
killed by a single stroke, and yet at other times she will hold the whale- 
men in play near half a day together with their lances, and sometimes they 
will get away after they have been lanced, and spouted thick blood, with 
irons in them and drags (drouges) fastened to them, which are thick 
boards about fourteen inches square.' 



APPENDIX. 523 

" But even after the capture of the sperm whale had occasionally been 
carried on in ships by the descendants of the European settlers upon 
the American shores, who struck the whales with the harpoon, having a 
log of wood attached, after the Indian fashion, it was a considerable time 
before any great improvement manifested itself in their mode of fishing. 
Presumptuous indeed was he deemed who first proposed to chase and cap- 
ture such huge beings in small boats, and by the aid of lines at the end of 
which was attached the harpoon, by which they could draw themselves to 
the harpooned whale whenever they wished to destroy it with the lance. 

" An American whaler, who had been bred from his boyhood in the ser- 
vice, informed me that his grand-father had been employed on a whaling 
expedition in a small vessel off the coast of America, and that, having 
experienced a great deal of ill success in consequence of their being un- 
able to capture any whales by means of the log harpoon, the captain of 
their little barque wished them to make trial of the method of which they 
had just heard, by the boat and line ; but to his irresolute seamen the 
idea seemed monstrous ; the mere thought of having the boat they were 
in attached to an infuriated leviathan by a strong rope struck terror 
among the whole crew. 'What,' said they, 'shall we be dragged to 
the bottom of the sea 1 Shall we be towed with the velocity of lightning 
to the other side of the world 1 ? Shall we be torn to pieces by the jaws 
of the monstrous fish that we may be fastened tol' In vain did their 
captain explain to them the various means they could employ to avoid those 
anticipated dangers ; he urged their reason to note the excellence of the 
plan, but his eloquence proved of no avail ; so fearful were they of this 
dangerous innovation on their old method, that the very rope which the 
captain had prepared for the service was pointed through the ship's stern 
during the night, and allowed to run overboard. But, nevertheless, oth- 
ers more daring undertook the trial soon afterward, in which they fre- 
quently came off victorious, so that the new method was established 
among them, and has since been much improved. 

" The fishery was thus carried on at first by a few individuals in Amer- 
ica from their own shores ; but, as their numbers increased, the quantity 
of whales diminished ; so that, in a few years, they had not only destroyed 
great numbers of these useful animals, but had driven the remainder to 
find more secure retreats, in which they could follow their natural incli- 
nations without being harassed by the chase or wounded by the harpoon. 

" But, about the year 1771, we find that the American navigators were 
engaged with extraordinary ardor in the whale fisheries which were car- 
ried on in the North and South Atlantic Oceans. From the year 1771 to 
1775, Massachusetts alone employed annually 183 vessels, carrying 13,820 
tons in the former, and 121 vessels, carrying 14,026 tons in the latter. 

" Mr. Burke, in his famous speech on American affairs in 1774, advert- 
ed to this wonderful display of daring enterprise in the following eloquent 
words : ' As to the wealth,' said he, ' which the colonists have drawn 
from the sea by their fisheries, you had all that matter fully opened at 
vour bar. You surely thought these acquisitions of value, for they seemed 



524 APPENDIX. 

to excite your envy ; and yet the spirit by which that enterprising em- 
ployment has been exercised, ought rather, in my opinion, to have raised 
your esteem and admiration. And pray, sir, what in the world is equal 
to it 1 Pass by the other parts, and look at the manner in which the 
New England people carry on the whale fishery. While we follow them 
among the trembling mountains of ice, and behold them penetrating into 
the deepest frozen recesses of Hudson's and Davis's Straits — while we are 
looking for them beneath the Arctic circle, we hear that they have pierced 
into the opposite region of the polar cold — that they are at the antipodes, 
and engaged under the frozen serpent of the south. Falkland Island, 
which seems too remote for the grasp of national ambition, is but a stage 
and resting-place for their victorious industry. Nor is the equinoctial 
heat more discouraging to them than the accumulated winter of both 
poles. We learn that, while some of them draw the line or strike the 
harpoon on the coast of Africa, others run the longitude, and pursue their 
gigantic game along the coast of Brazil. No sea but what is vexed with 
their fisheries, no climate that is not witness of their toils. Neither the 
perseverance of Holland, nor the activity of France, nor the dexterous 
and firm sagacity of English enterprise, ever carried this most perilous 
mode of hardy industry to the extent to which it has been pursued by 
these recent people — a people who are still in the gristle, and not hard- 
ened into manhood.' 

" Whether this eloquent address had any effect or not upon the minds 
of our own merchants and ship-owners in stimulating them to fit out ships 
for the sperm and other whale fisheries, I am not aware, but it is certain 
that in the following year (1775) the first attempt was made to establish 
the sperm whale fishery from Britain ; and we accordingly find, from pri- 
vate statements on which I can securely rely, that ships of from 100 to 
109 tons burden were sent to South Greenland, the coast of Brazil, the 
Falkland Islands, and the Gulf of Guinea, for the purpose of procuring 
sperm and other oils. The names of the ships which were thus employed 
in these distinct expeditions were the ' Union,' ' Neptune,' ' Rocking- 
ham,' 'America,' 'Abigail,' 'Hanover,' 'Industry,' 'Dennis,' 'Beaver,' 
and ' Sparrow ;' but the principal places of resort of the spermaceti 
whale not having been yet discovered, these vessels met with very tri- 
fling success. 

" In the following year, 1776, the government, with a view to stimulate 
all persons engaged in these fisheries, established a principle of reward 
for those ships which were most successful in their endeavors ; in ac- 
cordance with which, five different bounties or premiums were offered, 
forming a scale of prizes for those who were so fortunate as to prove the 
five gradations of success ; the sum of five hundred pounds being the max- 
imum, and that of one hundred being the minimum prize. 

" In 1781, four ships were fitted out for the River St. Lawrence, but after 
they had been out a considerable time, they returned with the discoura- 
ging announcement of having only procured six gallons of sperm oil among 
them during the whole time of their absence. 



APPENDIX. 525 

"In 1784, France, which, it appears, had preceded the other nations of 
Europe in the whale fishery, but had for many years past, for some cause 
or other, hardly had any share in it, now endeavored to revive it, and 
with this view Louis XVI. fitted out six ships from Dunkirk on his own 
account, which were furnished, at a great expense, with a number of ex- 
perienced harpooners and able seamen from Nantucket. 

The adventure was more successful than could have been reasonably 
expected, considering the auspices under which it was carried on. Sev- 
eral private individuals followed the example of his majesty, according 
to Mr. M'Culloch, ' and in 1790 France had about forty ships employed 
in the fishery. The Revolutionary war destroyed every vestige of this ris- 
ing trade. Since the peace, the government has made great efforts for 
its renewal, but hitherto without success ; and it is singular that, with 
the exception of an American house at Dunkirk, hardly any one had 
thought of sending out a ship from France.' 

"In the year 1785, the English ship 'Masters' began to discover the 
haunts of the sperm whale, the principal object of pursuit ; for we find 
that after they had been out about twelve months, many vessels returned 
with from twenty to eighty tons of sperm oil each ; so that, in the year 
1786, we find three hundred and twenty-seven tons of sperm oil was brought 
to this country, which sold for £43 per ton; and the success which 
attended our whaling expeditions at this time was quite equal to that 
which the American whalers met with. 

" In 1786, the bounties were increased to £700 maximum and £300 min- 
imum, which had the effect of increasing the perseverance and activity 
of our whalers, for we now discover them staying out eighteen and even 
twenty-eight months, and bringing home much larger quantities of sperm 
oil. During the year 1788, the ships that were sent out were much in- 
creased in size, so that they were frequently of from 150 to 300 tons bur- 
den ; and they still continued, like the Americans, to fish on this side of 
Cape Horn, taking the common black as well as the sperm whale at such 
places as the Gulf of Guinea, the coast of Brazil, the Falkland Islands, 
and, for sperm whales in particular, about the equinoctial line. But if 
the Americans had been the first to establish the fishery on their own 
shores, and even throughout the North and South Atlantic Oceans, it was 
the destiny of the mother country to enjoy the honor of opening the in- 
valuable sperm fisheries of the two Pacifies, the discovery of which formed 
an era in the commercial history of this' country ; for not only was the 
sperm whale fishery by this discovery prodigiously increased, but other 
commercial advantages rapidly accrued from the whalers who resorted 
to these seas, opening a trade with the people who inhabited the extensive 
shores which bound the enormous ocean. 

" ' The importance of the southern whale fishery,' says a gentleman 
who is deeply conversant with the whole subject, ' has never been duly 
appreciated. It is not generally known,' he says, ' that it is to this im- 
portant branch of trade and nursery for seamen that we owe the opening 
of commerce with South America, and which even caused the separation 



526 APPENDIX. 

of the Spanish colonies in the Pacific Ocean from the parent state. So 
meanly jealous was Spain of the interference of foreigners with the trade 
of her American colonies, that it was with the greatest difficulty, on the 
opening of the sperm whale fishery in the Pacific, that we could obtain 
permission for our ships to cruise within a hundred Italian miles of their 
coasts ; and it was only through a few of our ships at first claiming the 
right of wooding and watering in a friendly port, that a trade was first 
established, which spread in all directions the moment the great mutual 
advantages were felt. The enterprise of the ship-owners,' he continues, 
' engaged in the whale fishery knew no bounds. They sent ships to all 
parts of the world — to places at which no merchant vessel would have 
had cause to venture, so that lands were visited upon which important 
colonies have been formed. What merchant vessel would have visited 
Van Diemen's Land, or even Australia 1 Having no object or prospect 
of gain, and lying, as they both did, out of the track of our merchantmen, 
it is not to be believed that they could have been much visited by them. 
But our whaling vessels cruising for whales examined their shores and 
brought home information respecting their value, and, what was still more 
important, they carried out people to reside upon them, and establish a 
regular communication between them and our own country, by which the 
wants of the primitive settlers could be supplied, and their persons pro- 
tected, and which could not have been done by other ships except at a 
frightful expense ; at a time, too, when the settlement of the above now 
valuable and flourishing colonies was a mere experiment, with many 
sneering at the project as an ignis fatuus, evidence inclines us to believe 
that these colonies would never have existed had it not been for whaling 
vessels approaching their shores. It is a fact, that the original settlers 
at Botany Bay were more than once saved from starvation by the timely 
arrival of some whaling vessels. 

" ' But if our commerce has received benefit from our southern whaling 
expeditions, our intimate knowledge of the Polynesian islanders has also 
arisen from the same means ; and if missionaries have gone to reside 
among these people, with the view of spreading among them a belief in 
the Christian faith, these messengers have been preceded by the whaler, 
who has opened a barter with the savage, and brought about a friendly 
regard toward us, by which he has secured a ready welcome to the mis- 
sionaries ; and they are doing so at the present hour at New Guinea, 
New Ireland, New Britain, and at hundreds of islands in the South Pa- 
cific. New Zealand has been succeeded with in the same way ; and if it 
was not for these preliminary meetings, not a missionary would dare to 
step upon their shores.' 

" In 1788, the grand mercantile speculation of sending ships round Cape 
Horn into the Pacific, in order to extend the sperm whale fishery, was 
reserved for the bold and enterprising mind of Mr. Enderby, a London 
merchant and ship-owner, who fitted out, at a vast expense, the ship 
' Amelia,' Captain Shields, which sailed from England on the first of 
September, 1788, and returned on the 12th of March, 1790, making an 



APPENDIX. 527 

absence of one year and seven months, but bringing home the enormous 
cargo of 139 tons of sperm oil ! and likewise having the good fortune to 
receive £800 more by way of an increased bounty, in consequence of the 
peculiar nature of the expedition. The ' Amelia' having been the first 
ship of any country which had entered the Pacific in search of whales, 
her success gave an amazing impulse to all persons engaged in the fish- 
eries, so that several ships, both from this country and America, immedi- 
ately followed in her track ; for on her return in 1790, many vessels were 
directly sent off, the crews of which continued the fishery along the coast 
of Chili and Peru with great advantage, so that in 1791 we had a great 
addition in the importation of sperm oil, amounting this year to 1258 tons, 
making an increase over the importation in the year 1786 of 931 tons. 

" In 1791 the bounties were again altered, but the alteration merely re- 
lated to the time the ships should remain out. The ships which were at 
this time engaged in the fishery carried from twenty-two to thirty men 
each. This enterprising branch of commerce was carried on year after 
year with considerable success, subject to but slight variations in the an- 
nual and gradual increase in the importation of oil, giving employment to 
a vast number of persons, many of whom were enriched to an immense 
amount by the success which attended their exertions in this profitable 
pursuit. 

" In the year 1802, ships were sent to whale off the island of New Zea- 
land, where they frequently met with considerable success. In 1803, many 
vessels were ploughing the China Seas, about the Molucca Islands, in 
search of the sperm whale, and with the same encouraging results. In 
passing over a lapse of sixteen years, we have nothing to remark, except 
that there was still a gradual increase in the importation of sperm oil, 
from a greater number of ships being employed in this adventurous trade, 
to which every year added fresh experience, by which they became better 
fitted and manned, and, therefore, the more qualified to war with and cap- 
ture the ' giant of the main.' 

" In 1819, another great impulse was given to the fishery by the indefat- 
igable and enterprising Mr. Enderby, who had not only joined the govern- 
ment, in 1793, in the expense of fitting out a ship, commanded by Captain 
James Colnett, to undertake a voyage to the South Seas, with a view to 
extend the sperm whale fishery there, but in this year (1819) formed the 
scheme, and actually fitted out at his own expense a large ship of 500 tons 
burden, called the ' Siren,' commanded by Captain Coffin, with a crew 
of thirty-six seamen, for the purpose of sending her on an experimental 
voyage to the far distant sea of Japan, to prosecute the sperm whale fish- 
ery in that remote part of the world. 

" The ' Siren' sailed from England on the 3d of August, 1819, and ar- 
rived off the coast of Japan on the" 5th of April, 1820, where she fell in with 
immense numbers of the spermaceti whale, which her crew gave chase 
to with excellent success ; for they returned to their native land on the 
21st of April, 1822, after an absence of about two years and eight months, 
during which time they had, by their industry, courage, and perseverance, 



528 APPENDIX. 

gathered from the confines of the North Pacific Ocean no less than the 
enormous quantity of three hundred and forty-six tons of sperm oil, which 
was brought into the port of London in safety and triumph, showing a 
success unprecedented in the annals of whaling, and which astonished 
and stimulated to exertion all those engaged in the trade throughout Eu- 
rope and America. The success which attended this expedition not only 
rewarded the seamen and others who composed her crew, but the spirited 
man who had sent them out also must have felt the solid and weighty 
considerations which he no doubt received in return for the great and 
successful enterprise to which he had given origin. 

" After the return of the ' Siren,' the Japan fishery was speedily estab- 
lished, and remains to this day the principal one of both Pacifies ; and al- 
though it has been so much resorted to by ships of different nations ever 
since, which have carried off immense quantities of sperm oil, yet such 
is the boundless space of ocean throughout which it exists, that the whales 
scarcely appear to be reduced in number. But they are much more dif- 
ficult to get near than they were some years back, on account of the fre- 
quent harassing they have met with from boats and ships ; so that they 
have become now well aware of the reckless nature of their pursuers, 
and they evince great caution and instinct in avoiding them. Notwith- 
standing the great success which had attended the single-handed yet im- 
portant efforts of Mr. Enderby, in having been the means of establishing 
two great fisheries, by which numbers of persons were employed, as well 
as those who were engaged on shipboard, his enterprising mind still con- 
tinued to be prompted by the laudable ambition of discovering others in 
a far different portion of the globe to either of the preceding. With this 
view he fitted out the ' Swan,' of 150 tons burden, commanded by Cap- 
tain M'Clain, which sailed on the 3d of June, 1823, to undertake a voyage 
to the ' Seychelle Islands,' for the purpose of searching for the sperm 
whale ; directing the captain, at the same time, to prosecute the fishery, 
if possible, at the entrance of the 'Red Sea' and 'Persian Gulf;' but 
although this third experimental expedition did not prove so beneficial to 
the crew and owner as the two former had done, still the voyage of 
the ' Swan' to those places had the effect of opening the new fishery of 
the ' Seychelles' to the great advantage of the commercial interests of 
this country, which was manifested by the number of ships which soon 
resorted to it for the purpose of whaling. For although the ' Swan' did 
not return until the 27th of April, 1825, and had only procured forty tons 
of sperm oil during all the time of her absence, yet her want of entire 
success was not owing to the absence of whales at the places to which 
they were sent, for the crew saw immense numbers, but from a series 
of misfortunes which befell them, and which rendered them incapable of 
prosecuting the fishery with all the energy and entire devotion which it 
requires to bring about a successful termination. The ship which resort- 
ed to the ' Seychelles' after the return of the ' Swan' had good reason 
to be well satisfied with the success which attended their efforts, not only 
from the number of whales which they found there, but from its being so 



APPENDIX. 529 

much nearer home than the Japan fishery, by which much time was saved 
in the outward and homeward passages. 

" During the year 1821, the government, finding that the sperm whale 
fishery was fully established, thought proper to discontinue the system of 
the bounties, so that the crews of the various ships which resorted to 
the fisheries were made to depend altogether upon the success of their 
own exertions. 

" In 1823, the first introduction of sperm oil from the colonies took place, 
the principal part of which was brought from Sidney ; and when, in 182G, 
the imperial measure was introduced, we find the enormous quantity of 
sperm oil altogether imported into London during that year amounted to 
6083 tons ! while the ships that were employed in the fishery were of 
from 300 to 400 tons. 

" In 1827, 5552 tons were imported ; in 1828 there was a great decrease 
in the supply, as only 3731 tons arrived ; but in 1829 the importation 
again increased to 5558 tons. 

"In the year 1830, from some cause, the supply was again greatly re- 
duced, as only 4792 tons were imported ; but in the following year of 1831 , 
the importation rose suddenly to its maximum height, as the enormous 
quantity of 7605 imperial tons was introduced. In 1832 a slight decrease 
to 7165 tons took place, and in 1833 a still farther reduction to 6057 
tons, but in 1834 it rallied again slightly, and 6731 tons were the impor- 
tation. The ships engaged at this time in the fishery from this coun- 
try were about ninety in number, and from 300 to 400 tons burden, 
the average duration of their voyages being three years and three 
months. 

"In the year 1836, 7001 tons were imported, by which we perceive 
scarcely any or no diminution in the proceeds of fishery, although it was 
not so great as in the successful maximum year of 1831, when the im- 
portation amounted to 7601 imperial tons : a success which stimulates the 
adventurer in this ' most perilous mode of hardy industry.' " 

Having thus given Beale's version of the origin of the whale-fishery 
on the American Continent, and traced the progress of European nations 
in the extension of that pursuit almost to the present period, let us 
again revert to Mr. Macy's sketch of the rise and progress of our own 
fishery, omitting such portions as relate to the general history of the 
island. 

" As the number of inhabitants [on the Island of Nantucket] increased, 
the whaling business was carried on more extensively. Larger vessels, 
and a greater number, were employed, requiring, consequently, a greater 
number of men. The island did not furnish seamen enough to man the 
fleet, and recourse was had to various parts of Cape Cod, and thence 
westward as far as Long Island. From these sources there was at that 
time a sufficient supply of men to render that part of the business not 
difficult." 

In the year 1745, they commenced the business of exporting their oil 
to England. 

Xxx 



530 APPENDIX. 

"The whale fishery gradually increased, and as new countries and 
coasts were explored, the voyages necessarily became longer. The fol- 
lowing schedule will show, as nearly as can be ascertained, the times 
when the fishery commenced at some places, previous to the Revolution- 
ary war, viz. : 

" The Island of Disco, in the mouth of Baffin's Bay, in the year 1751. 

" Gulf of St. Lawrence, in the year 1761. 

" Davis's Straits, in the year 1746. 

" Coast of Guinea, in the year 1763. 

" Western Islands, in the year 1765. 

" Eastward of the Banks of Newfoundland, in the year 1765. 

" Coast of Brazil, in the year 1774. 

" The business was carried on in shorter voyages at the Grand Banks, 
Cape Verd Islands, various parts of the West Indies, in the Bay of Mex- 
ico, the Caribbean Sea, and on the coast of the Spanish Main, &c. The 
following table shows the number of vessels, and the quantity of oil ob- 
tained within the period of ten years : 



Date. 


No. of Veeela. 


No. of Barrels. 


>ate. 


No. ofVeaBels. 


No. of Barrels. 


1762 


78 


9,440 


1768 


125 


15,439 


1763 


60 


9,238 


1769 


119 


19,140 


1764 


72 


11,983 


1770 


125 


14,331 


1765 


101 


11,512 


1771 


115 


12,754 


1766 


118 


11,969 


1772 


98 


7,825 


1767 


108 


16,561 









" Between the years 1770 and 1775 the whaling business increased to 
an extent hitherto unparalleled. In 1770 there were little more than one 
hundred vessels engaged [125], and in 1775 the number exceeded 150, 
some of them large brigs." 

"Many branches of labor were conducted by those who were immedi- 
ately interested in the voyages. The young men, with few exceptions, 
were brought up to some trade necessary to the business. The rope- 
maker, the cooper, the blacksmith, the carpenter — in fine, the workmen 
were either the ship-owners or of their household ; so were the officers 
and men who navigated the vessels and killed the whales. While a ship 
was at sea, the owners at home were busily employed in the manufacture 
of casks, iron-work, cordage, blocks, and other articles for the succeeding 
voyage. Thus the profits of labor were enjoyed by those interested in 
the fishery, and voyages were rendered advantageous, even where the 
oil obtained was barely sufficient to pay the outfits, estimating the labor 
as a part thereof." 

" The first manufactory of sperm candles in this country was estab- 
lished in Rhode Island, a little previous to 1750, by Benjamin Crab, an 
Englishman." " In 1761 there were eight manufactories in New Eng- 
land and one in Philadelphia." 

"The following table, copied from a report to Congress by Thomas 
Jefferson, shows the state of the whale fishery in Massachusetts between 
the years 1771 and 1775." 

It is hardly necessary to give this table in full. The most interesting 
items embraced in it are as follow : 



APPENDIX. 



531 



Ports from which the equipments 
were made. 


Number of 
Vessels. 


Their 
tonnage. 


Seamen 
employed. 


Martha's Vineyard .... 
Falmouth, Barnstable Co. . . 


150 
30 
80 

2 
12 

2 
20 

4 

4 
304 


15,075 

2,600 

6,500 

195 

720 

150 

2,000 

300 

300 

27,840 


2,025 

420 

1,040 

28 

156 

26 

260 

52 

52 

4,059 



From this period until the close of the Revolutionary war little was 
done in the whale fishery. During the greater part of the time it was 
entirely suspended, and the inhabitants of Nantucket were reduced to 
great distress. I must necessarily, from want of space, pass over this 
interesting period in the history of the whale fishery, merely quoting Mr. 
Macy's summary of the number of vessels lost and captured. 

" During the war, 15 vessels were lost at sea, and 134 were captured ; 
total loss in tonnage, 12,467 tons, of which more than 10,000 tons fell 
into the hands of the enemy. It would be difficult at this period to make 
an estimate of the value of those vessels ; many of them had on board 
valuable cargoes. They were navigated by the youth and manhood of 
the island. Of the crews, some perished miserably in prison ships, oth- 
ers lingered years in confinement ; some entered the service of the coun- 
try, others returned home destitute to destitute families. To these con- 
siderations, if we add losses by plunderers, the almost total stoppage of 
all business during the war, the insufficiency of soil to produce food for 
the inhabitants, the almost constant blockading of the harbor by the Eng- 
lish or the Refugees, it will not be doubted that Nantucket paid as dearly 
for the independence of our country as any place in the Union." 

The Legislature of Massachusetts, in order to encourage the whale 
fishery throughout the state, which had been greatly depressed by the 
war, passed, in 1785, a resolve to the following effect : 

That the treasurer of the Commonwealth would pay, for every ton of 
white spermaceti oil, a bounty of five pounds ; for every ton of brown or 
yellow spermaceti oil, sixty shillings ; for every ton of whale oil (so 
called), forty shillings, taken by vessels owned and wholly manned by 
inhabitants of the Commonwealth. 

This bounty afforded but a temporary relief, and was soon withdrawn. 
It had the effect, however, of stimulating those engaged in the fishery to 
new enterprises, which, though not always profitable, finally resulted in 
the re-establishment of the business. 

" The whaling business gradually increased from year to year, though 
it occasionally met with depressions - which checked its progress and cre- 
ated considerable uneasiness. In 1702, the people of New Bedford turned 
their attention to it more particularly than heretofore. A number of ves- 
sels were put into the service there, and some from Boston and Long 
Island. The quantity of oil thus imported exceeded the consumption* 
and kept the price below the cost to importers. 



532 APPENDIX. 

" A few years previous to the Revolution in France, in 1792, a new mar- 
ket opened for whale oil in that country, which gave encouragement that 
it would eventually be the best place for the sale of the article that could 
be found." 

" The shipments which were made [after the Revolution began] did not 
meet with prices sufficient to pay costs." 

" In 1790, finding some of the people of England profitably engaged in 
the sealing business, the inhabitants of Nantucket turned their attention 
to that business, and fitted out a vessel for the coast of Africa. 

" In 1791, vessels first went from Nantucket into the Pacific Ocean in 
pursuit of whales. Some successful cruises had been made on the west- 
ern coast of South America by vessels from England, which encouraged 
the people of Nantucket to engage in similar voyages. 

" In 1795, the name of the town was changed from Sherburne to Nan- 
tucket." 

It would be impossible, within the limited space of this Appendix, to 
follow the changes which took place in the whale fishery up to the period 
of the last war. 

" The immediate effects of the war were experienced in the 7th month 
of this year, 1812, in the capture and burning of a whaling schooner to 
the northward of the Gulf Stream. The crew were made prisoners of 
■war. This was the first capture of a Nantucket vessel after the com- 
mencement of hostilities. There were at this time belonging to the isl- 
and 43 ships, 47 sloops, 7 brigs, 19 schooners ; total, 116 vessels, whose 
tonnage amounted to nearly 11,000 tons." 

Then followed all the devastations of the war in quick succession : 
the capturing of whaling vessels, and the part taken by the hardy and 
enterprising whalemen belonging to the different ports in the United 
States, in the defense of their country, with which the public are famil- 
iar. The Island of Nantucket, whieh had suffered most, owing to her 
isolated and exposed situation, was, however, declared neutral by the 
contending powers, the inhabitants having, in consequence of their great 
distress, stipulated that they would take no part in the war. Subsequent 
difficulties arose, in consequence of the embarrassing position in which 
the people of the island were placed, but it does not come within the ob- 
ject of this compilation to enter into a detail of them. 

" In the year 1819 [the devastating effects of the war having in a great 
measure passed away], the number of ships and vessels belonging to the 
island had increased to 57 ships and 4 brigs in the whale fishery. In 
1821 the number had increased to 78 ships and 6 brigs in the whale 
fishery." 

From that date to the present the inhabitants of Nantucket have pur- 
sued the business with the greatest zeal and perseverance. Prosperity 
has crowned their efforts, and many of them have become wealthy. 

The following tables and extracts from various documents with which 
I have been kindly favored by the Hon. James Grinnell, will show the 



APPENDIX. 533 

value and extent of the entire whale fishery carried on in vessels belong- 
ing to the United States ; thus giving a general view of its origin, prog- 
ress, and present condition. 

Estimated Value of 644 Vessels employed in the Whale Fishery belonging to 
the United States at the Time of sailing, and which were at Sea on the 1st 
of January, 1844. 

242 ships, barques, and brigs in the sperm fishery, at $38,000 each .... $9,196,000 

329 " " " " right whale fishery, at $28,000 each . . 9,212,000 
73 " " " and schooners in the Atlantic sperm fishery, at 

$14,000 each 1,022,000 

$19,480,000 

Estimated Value of the 644 Vessels employed in theWhale Fishery, belonging to 
the United States, including Catchings at Sea, on the 1st of January, 1844. 

242 ships, barques, and brigs in the sperm fishery, at $55,000 each . . . .$13,300,000 
329 " " " " right whale fishery, at $40,000 each . . 13,160,000 

73 " " " and schooners in the Atlantic sperm fishery, at 

$18,000 each 1,314,000 

$27,784,000 

N.B. The above estimates, I am informed by Mr. Grinnell, are consid- 
erably below the actual value of the vessels, fittings, and oil taken at this 
date, but he preferred making the calculation at the lowest point to which 
their value might descend. 

Duties on a Whale Ship and Outfits. 

The articles which pay duty, used by a whaler (the ship Charles Fen- 
duck, burden 317 tons), are as follows : 

On 124 pieces of duck, containing 3809 square yards, duty 7 cts. per yard . . .$266 63 
On cordage, 24,409 pounds hemp, say 10 tons, at $40 per ton . . . . $400 00 

" 5754 pounds of Manilla, say 3 tons, at $25 per ton ... 75 00 475 00 

On iron chains of all kinds, 17,784 pounds, duty 2J cts. per pound ...... 444 60 

On iron, about 17 tons, including hoops, whale craft, that used about yards, rig- 
ging, <fcc., duty $17 per ton 289 00 

On iron anchors, 4200 pounds, duty 2J cts. per pound . 444 60 

On iron try-pots ; three 180-gallon pots weigh 2200 pounds, duty 1J ct. per pound 33 00 
On copper cooler, made of brazier's copper, 400 pounds, duty 5 cts. per pound . . 20 00 
On molasses, 1100 gallons, 4 A mills per pound, is about 4A cts. per gallon ... 49 50 

On chronometer, about 40 00 

A great part of the tools, steel, and crockery-ware pay a duty, but it is not easy 

to get at the correct amount ; estimated at 30 00 

$1752 73 



534 



APPENDIX. 



Statement of the Number of Vessels employed in the United States Whale 
Fishery on the 1st of January, 1846, their Tonnage, and the Places where 
they belong. — [From the Whaleman's Shipping List.] 



Ports. 


State. 


Ships and 
Barques. 


Brigs. 


Schooners. 


Tons. 


New Bedford . . . 


Massachusetts 


252 


3 


1 


82,633 


Fairhaven . 






" 


48 


— 


— 


15,391 


Dartmouth 






" 


1 


— 


— 


387 


Westport . 






" 


8 


3 


— 


2,066 


Mattapoisett 






" 


5 


5 


— 


1,864 


Sippican . 






" 


3 


2 


— 


910 


Wareham . 






" 


4 


2 


— 


1,366 


Falmouth 






" 


4 


— 


— 


1,470 


Holmes's Hoh 






ci 


3 


1 


— 


1,287 


Edgartown 






tc 


8 


2 


— 


3,017 


Nantucket 






" 


73 


1 


— 


25,564 


Provincetown 




" 


3 


9 


11 


3,001 


Lynn . . 




" 


3 


— 


— 


980 


Plymouth . . 




K 


3 


— 


1 


999 


Boston . . 






" 


1 


1 


1 


375 


Portsmouth 






" 


1 


— 


— 


348 


Salem . . 






<( 


2 


— 


— 


660 


Fall River 






" 


5 


2 


— 


1,908 


Freetown . 






(t 


2 


— 


— 


634 


Somerset . 






" 


1 


— 


— 


137 


Bristol . . 






Rhode Island 


5 


1 


— 


1,743 


Providence 






" 


9 


— 


— 


3,341 


Warren 






" 


25 


— 


— 


8,218 


Newport . 






" 


10 


1 


1 


3,099 


Mystic . . 






Connecticut 


18 


— 


— 


5,521 


Stonington 






" 


26 


— 


— 


8,076 


New London 






" 


69 


1 


6 schrs. 1 sloop 


26,513 


Sag Harbor 






New York 


63 


— 


— 


, 23,103 


Bridgeport 






Connecticut 


3 


— 


— 


7 972 


New Suffolk 






New York 


2 


— 


— 


501 


Greenport . 






" 


11 


— 


— 


3,255 


Cold Spring 






" 


8 


— 


— 


3,315 


New York 






" 


1 


— 


— 


495 



Total. — Whole number of vessels employed in the fishery, Jan. 1, 1846, 680 ships and 

barques, 34 brigs, 21 schooners, 1 sloop ; tonnage, 233,149. 
Whole number employed in the fishery, Jan. I, 1845, 643 ships and barques, 35 brigs, 16 

schooners, 1 sloop ; tonnage, 218,655. 
Whole number employed in the fishery, Jan. 1, 1844, 595 ships and barques, 41 brigs, 8 

schooners, and 1 sloop ; tonnage, 200,147. 



The annexed tables, taken from the Whaleman's Shipping List, pub- 
lished in New Bedford, show the imports and exports of oil and bone, 
average prices from 1838 to 1846, amount of oil on hand, average length 
of voyages, arrivals, &c. I think it will be conceded that they are of suf- 
ficient importance to be preserved in a durable form. 



APPENDIX. 



535 



Imports of Sperm and Whale Oils and Whalebone into the United States, for 
1845, made up, in most cases, from the Ganger's Report of the different 
cargoes. 



Ports. 



Ships 

and 

Barques. 



Brigs, 

Schooners, 

&c. 



Barrels 
Sperm. 



New Bedford 

" in Merchantmen 

Fairhaven 

Mattapoisett 

Sippican 

Wareham 

Dartmouth 

Westport 

District of New Bedford . 

Falmouth 

Holmes's Hole .... 

Edgartown 

Provincetown .... 

Nantucket 

Plymouth 

Lynn 

Boston 

" in Merchantmen . 

Salem 

Portsmouth 

Fall River 

Bristol . 

Warren 

Providence 

Newport 

Stonington 

New London 

Mystic . 

Cold Spring 

Greenport 

Sag Harbor 

New York 

" in Merchantmen . 

Hudson 

Wilmington 

New Suffolk 

Total .... 



64 
2 

15 
1 
2 
1 
1 

JJ 

89 
2 
1 
3 
1 

29 
1 
1 
1 
3 
2 
1 
2 
1 
5 
2 
2 
9 

21 
4 
2 
6 

22 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
215 



■2 


2 
1 
2 

4 

11 
1 

1 

13 
2 
2 

1 
6 


2 



2 








1 







49,125 

2,897 

15,381 

831 

1,216 

943 

1,400 

2,780 

74,573 

2,000 

201 

1,719 

2,545 

45,864 

1,390 

150 

270 

5,013 

3,300 

2,600 

1,646 

1,000 

2,511 

750 

2,580 

1,941 

1,411 

712 

200 

578 

2,624 

130 

584 

800 

300 

108 



81,898 

1,826 

16,659 

240 

540 

1,991 

200 



103,842 

140 

2,239 

1,816 

730 

6,280 

1,650 

30 

3,000 

800 

3,050 

7,284 

3,450 

2,865 

15,362 

52,576 

7,271 

4,818 

7,824 

43,784 

1,650 

900 

800 

250 

398 



157,700 



272,809 



745,434 
260,573 
148,100 

3,000 
16,800 



1,173,907 
22,000 
i 23,300 
' 14,000 

46,100 

15,000 

487,100 
6,000 

44,600 

7,300 

30,000 

22,800 

115,625 

469,700 

51,400 

87,490 

62,877 

475,186 

15,000 

9,000 

8,000 

2,000 



3,195,054 



Imports of Sperm and Whale Oil from January 1, 1838, to January 1, 1844, 
and of Oil and Bone from January 1, 1844, to January 1, 1846. 





Sperm. 


1838 . 


. . 132,356 


1839 . 


. . 142,336 


1840 . 


157,791 


1841 . 


. 159,304 


1842 . 


165,637 


1843 . 


. . 166,985 


1844 . 


. . 139,594 


1845 . 


. . 157,917 



Whale. 
226,552 
229,783 
207,908 
207,348 
161,041 
206,727 
262,047 
272,730 



2,532,445 
3,167,142 



We estimate the quantity of sperm oil to arrive in 1846 at 117,000 barrels. Of whale, 
it is impossible, as yet, to form an estimate with any degree of accuracy, owing to the mea- 
ger accounts yet received from the Northwest Coast. 



536 APPENDIX. 

Exports. — Quantity and Value of Whale Oil and Spermaceti exported from 
the Port of New Bedford, Year ending Jan. 1, 1846; furnished by Mr. 
James Freeman, Deputy Collector. 

Gals. Whale. Value. Iba. Spermaceti. Value. 

To Stettin 293,113 $95,412 

Hamburgh 114,464 35,967 

Rotterdam ...... 195,997 67,465 

Antwerp 162,163 52,644 5306 $1485 

Cuxhaven and market . . 51,798 16,832 

Total .... 817,533 $268,320 5306 $1485 

Exports of Whale Oil from New Bedford to Foreign Ports for the years 

1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 

Barrels . . 32,273 26,005 17,201 30,093 25,925 

Statement of Oils and Whalebone on hand, December 30, 1845. 

Sperm. Whale. Bone. 

New Bedford 8,101 2620 801,000 

Fairhaven 6,300 10,000 

Westport 3,200 

Nantucket, about .... 20,000 

Edgartown. ...... 1,000 

Falmouth ....... 500 : — 

Newport . 500 — r- 

Boston 1,100 

Total 40,701 5221 211,000 

The above statement includes all recent importations, and all crude oils in manufactu- 
rer's hands, in the ports named. 

Amount of Oil on hand, January 1, 1845. 
Sperm, 32,992 barrels ; Whale, 12,950 barrels. 

Average Voyages. — Table of Voyages made by Sperm and Right Wlialers 
in the Years 1842 to 1845 inclusive, with average Time absent, and Quan- 
tity of Oils brought Home. 

Sperm. Whale. 
In 1842, 55 sperm whalers arrived, average absence, 41 months 8 days, 

with average cargoes of 1973 135 

In 1842, 74 two-season right whalers arrived, average time absent, 24J 

months, with average cargoes of , 422 1722 

In 1842, 13 one-season right whalers arrived, average time absent, 10J 

months, average cargoes of 122 1602 

In 1842, 65 Atlantic sperm whalers arrived, average time absent, 13 months 

28 days, average cargoes of 280 12 

Arrivals in 1843. 

70 sperm whalers, average absence, 41 months, 13 days, average cargoes . 1641 124 

90 two-season right whalers, average absence, 25 months 10 days, average 

cargoes 311 1937 

15 one-season right whalers, average absence, 11 months 28 days, average 

cargoes 92 1398 

55 Atlantic sperm whalers, average absence, 14 months 20 days, average 

cargoes 285 25 



APPENDIX. 



537 



Arrivals in 1844. 

69 sperm whalers, average absence, 43 months, average cargoes .... 
112 2-season right whalers, average absence, 25 months 9 days, average cargoes 

7 one-season right whalers, average absence, 11 months 14 days, average 

cargoes 

42 Atlantic sperm whalers, average absence, 12 months, average cargoes . . 

Arrivals in 1845. 
91 sperm whalers, average absence, 43 months 21 days, average cargoes 
102 two-season right whalers, average absence, 24 months, average cargoes . 

8 one-season right whalers, average absence, 12 months 4 days, average 

cargoes 

43 Atlantic sperm whalers, average absence, 14 months 7 days, average 

cargoes 



Sperm. 


Whale. 


1419 


293 


248 


2059 


69 


1176 


248 


38 


1291 


387 


196 


2180 



55 



796 



Statement of the Prices of Sperm and Whale Oil and Whalebone on the 1st 
and \5th of each Month of the Year 1845, together with the average Price 
for the Year, and the average Price per Year for six Years. 













Sperm. 


Whale. 


Bone. 


1845. 1st 15th 


1st 


15th 


1st 15th 


January 88 87 


32 


33 


39 39 


February . 










85 85 


32 


33 


no sales. 


March . . 










85 84 


32 


32 


29 30 


April . . . 










88 90 


32 


34 


34 36 


May . . 










90 90 


31£ 


32£ 


34J 34£ 


June . . . 










90 90 


32J 


334 


34£ S4J 


July . . 










90 90 


35 


34J 


no sales. 


August 










90 90 


m 


34£ 


no sales. 


September 










90 89 


34 


35 


34 35 


October . 










88 89 


33 


34 


34 35 


November . 










87 85 


33 


32 


32 30 


December . 










84 87 


31 


31 


30 30 


Average for 1845 






88 88 


32J 


33i 


33£ 33| 


Average for 1844 






. . m 




36J 


40 


" " 1843 






. 63 




34£ 


35$ 


" « 1842 






. 73 




33$ 


23 


" " 1841 






. 94 




31} 


19g 


" " 1 


84( 


) 






. 100 




30£ 


19 



Arrivals at the Port of New Bedford in 1845. 

We are indebted to the politeness of Mr. David Sylvester, boarding officer, United States' 
revenue department, New Bedford, for the following statement of arrivals in this port in 1845 

From Foreign Ports. 
Ships . . . . . 64 

Barques 31 

Brigs 9 

Schooners 



Total 

Of which there were 

Ships. 

American 64 

British — 

Danish — 

Prussian — 



7 
111 



Schooners. 
4 
2 
1 



Yyy 



>3» 








APPENDIX 












Coastwise Arrivals in 


1845. 








Ships. 


Barques. 


Brigs. 


Schooners. 


Sloops. 


Total 


January . . 


. 





2 


45 


59 


106 


February 






. 





4 


29 


52 


85 


March . 






. 2 





4 


69 


98 


173 


April . 






. 





4 


88 


131 


223 


May . 






. 


1 


6 


116 


168 


291 


June 






. 4 





1 


110 


167 


282 


July . 






. 1 





6 


108 


169 


284 


August 






. 2 





7 


114 


178 


301 


September 




. 





12 


127 


185 


324 


October . , 




. 1 


1 


3 


104 


126 


235 


November 




. 


1 


5 


68 


96 


170 


December 




. 


1 


4 


35 


74 


114 














. 2558 


















Ma 


kii 


lg a total for the year of 











Statement of some of the principal Articles used in fitting one of two hundred 
and forty-two Ships employed in the Sperm Whale Fishery from the United 
States, Jan. 1, 1844; average Length of Voyage, including Time in Port, 
forty-four Months ; two Months allowed to each in Port. 

Articles, &c. Amount. Total. 

2800 barrels oil casks, at $1 25, $3500 ; to make which are required 

16| M. staves, at $62 $1023 00 

9881 feet Southern pine heading, at $25 247 00 

12J tons iron hoops, at $85 1062 50 

Labor of coopers, <fcc 1167 50 $3,500 00 

240 barrels beef and pork, at $8 50 

220 barrels flour, at $5 25 ... . 

75 bushels corn, at 55 cents 

14 bushels beans and pease, at $1 25 

5 barrels corn meal, at $3 50 

2500 pounds tobacco, at 1 1 cents 

1200 pounds rice, at 3£ cents 

150 bushels potatoes, at 35 cents 

800 pounds cheese, at 7 cents 

900 pounds butter, at 13 cents 117 00 

600 pounds dried apples, at 4 cents 24 00 

10 barrels vinegar, at $3 50 35 00- 

20 barrels tar, at $2 25 45 00 

6 whale boats, at $60 360 00 

7 sets oars, at $8 50 59 50 

4000 feet boards, at $20 80 00 

700 pounds composition nails, at 22 cents 285 00 

8500 pounds sheathing copper, at 21 cents 1785 00 

8500 pounds cordage, at 10 cents 850 00 

3000 pounds tow lines, at 12 cents 360 00 3,824 50 

3 try-pots (American), at $60 180 00 

800 pounds codfish, at 3 cents 24 00 

6000 yards domestics for recruits, at 9 cents (including calicoes) . . 540 00 

4000 pounds iron crafts, &c, at 15 cents (average) 600 00 

Ready-made clothing 2800 00 4,144 00 

$15,341 25 
2,500 00 





2,040 00 




1,155 00 


41 25 




17 50 




17 50— 


- 76 25 


42 00 




52 50 




56 00 





326 50 



Mechanics and labor while in port 



Carried forward $17,841 25 



APPENDIX. 539 



Foreign. 

Articles, &c. Amount Total. 

Brought up $17,841 25 

1600 gallons molasses, at 27 cents 432 00 

^50 pounds black tea, at 35 cents 87 50 

20 pounds hyson tea, at 60 cents 12 00 

60 pieces heavy duck, at $18 1080 00 

36 pieces light duck, at $8 288 00 

200 pounds raisins, at 5 cents . . . 10 00 

1000 pounds sugar, at 7§ cents 75 00 

1000 pounds coffee, at 8 cents 80 00 2,064 50 

$19,905 75 



The Hon. Mr. Grinnell, of New Bedford, Mass., made, during the last 
session of Congress (1844), the following statements in the House of 
Representatives : 

" I have prepared with great care a table from authentic sources, to 
show the consumption of domestic and foreign articles by our whaling 
fleet, now consisting of 650 ships, barques, brigs, and schooners, tonna- 
ging 200,000 ton*; cost at the time of sailing, $20,000,000 ; manned by 
17,500 officers and seamen, one half of whom are green hands when the 
vessels sail. By this table, it will be seen that the annual consumption 
by this fleet is $3,845,500 ; only $400,000 is of foreign articles. This 
great source of wealth to the nation is dependent mainly on a home mar- 
ket for its products. The value of the annual import of oil and whale- 
bone in a crude state is $7,000,000 ; when manufactured it probably is in- 
creased in value to $8,000,000 or $9,000,000. The whole amount of ex- 
ports of oil, whalebone, and sperm candles is only $2,000,000 ; leaving 
$6,000,000 or $7,000,000 to be consumed in this country. * * * The du- 
ties on each whale ship and outfits of 300 tons, amount to $1700. 

" * * * This fleet of whaling ships is larger than ever pursued the busi- 
ness before. Commercial history furnishes no account of any parallel ; our 
ships now outnumber those of all other nations combined, and the proceeds 
of its enterprise are in proportion, and diffused to every part of our country. 
The voyages of those engaged in the sperm fishery average three and a 
half years ; they search every sea, and often cruise three or four months 
with a man at each mast-head on the look-out, without the cheering sight 
of a whale. This fleet is manned by 17,500 Americans. They are hardy, 
honest, and patriotic, and will, as they did in the last war, stand by their 
country when in danger ; they will man our ships, and fight our battles on 
the ocean. Should we ever again be compelled to resort to war to main- 
tain our rights, they, with the other seamen of our country, will be the 
right arm of our defense." 

Mr. Rockwell, of Connecticut, in a speech on the Oregon question, de- 
livered in the House of Representatives of the United States, on the 16th 
of January, 1846, took occasion to pay the following handsome tribute to 
the hardy seamen engaged in our whale fishery : 

"And the very men who petitioned and protested against war and 



540 APPENDIX. 

war measures, will be found, if war come, quite as faithful to their coun- 
try as gentlemen who talk the loudest and declaim with most vehemence 
on this floor. Indeed, sir, I say, without fear of contradiction, that a 
more hardy, resolute, determined set of men, or who, in the hour of dan- 
ger, are more to be relied on, are not to be found in this or any other 
country than those embarked in the whale fishery in my district. Intel- 
ligent, with industrious, frugal, and temperate habits, their whole life has 
been a course of discipline. The interest which every sailor, in common 
with the master, has in the result of the voyage, without interfering with 
the discipline of the ship, gives independence and energy to the charac- 
ter ; and the constant personal dangers to which they are exposed ren- 
der habitual that calm and resolute courage only to be relied upon in the 
hour of danger. But, sir, they have no courage to boast of, and they will 
not thank me for saying what I have, and for adding that they are almost 
as much to be relied upon, for real service, for actual danger, as the most 
patriotic speaker and ' greatest thunderer' in the country." 

The following statement, from the speech of Mr. Clayton, of Delaware, 
on the Oregon question, delivered in the United States Senate, February 
12th, 1846, shows the total tonnage of our commercial "arine, including 
vessels embarked in the whale fishery, compared with that of England : 

" We have at this time a commerce of 2,417,000 tons of shipping. 
England has 2,420,000 tons ; so that we are nearly — nay, it is my opin- 
ion we are completely — on a par with her. I doubt, sir, whether Eng- 
land has a greater commercial marine, or greater interests to protect 
than we ; if so, I would like to know in what it consists. We have more 
than 700 whale ships in the Pacific Ocean ; we have an extensive Indian 
commerce, and a great and daily growing commerce with China." 



BOUNTIES. 

Mr. Davis, of Massachusetts, presented to the Senate of the United 
States, on the 24th of March, 1846, the memorial of three hundred and 
twelve ship-owners and fishermen of the town of Marblehead, all engaged 
in the cod fishery, with some remarks in favor of the prayer of the me- 
morialists, an extract from which I take from the published report of his 
speech. 

" They state that a bill is pending before the Senate providing for the 
repeal of the act granting bounties to vessels engaged in the cod fishery, 
and a drawback upon pickled fish. They allege, also, that they are threat- 
ened with the repeal of the duty upon imported dry fish ; and in order 
that the Senate may understand their condition and comprehend their 
connection with this employment, they recur to their past history, and 
allege that this cod fishery has been their chief occupation ever since 
the settlement of the town, and for a period of more than two hundred 
years. That, while connected with the mother country, legislative pro- 
tection was given, which so encouraged the business that they realized 



APPENDIX. 541 

greater prosperity, acquired more wealth, and had a greater population 
before the Revolutionary war than they witnessed at any period since. 
They affirm that their population and wealth is less now than it was then." 

Mr. Benton, in the course of a reply, made the following remarks respect- 
ing the success of the whale fishery without the aid of the government : 

" This was one point of view ; but there was another, and it was the 
small proportion which the tonnage employed in these fisheries bore to 
the tonnage employed in other branches of trade. They had but half the 
amount which the whalers possessed : those who double Cape Horn and 
go to a distance of 20,000 miles from any port that they can call their 
own, who make three years' voyages, and are all that time employed in 
killing the monsters of the deep. While he would admit a degree of 
merit in those engaged in the river and coast fisheries, in the mackerel 
and the cod fisheries, yet they were far below the whalers in point of 
numbers. 

" Mr. Benton stated the increase in the amount of tonnage employed 
in the various branches of commerce and the fisheries for a period of 
twelve years, commencing with 1833, showing a very disproportionate 
increase in all other branches over that of the cod and mackerel fisheries." 

Mr. Fairfield concluded the discussion as follows : 

" But it is objected to these bounties, by the senator from Missouri, 
that they go to the owners of the fishing vessels, and not to the fisher- 
men themselves. In reply, he would say that in his view it was of no 
consequence to whom the bounty was, in the first instance, paid. It went 
eventually for the common benefit of all concerned in the voyage. The 
fishermen, it is well known, do not receive specific wages, as in mercan- 
tile voyages ; but, instead thereof, have a certain share of the fish. This 
share is enlarged by the fact that the owner receives a portion of his prof- 
its of the voyage in the bounty received from the government. If the 
bounty was received, in the first place, by the fishermen, they would re- 
ceive a smaller share of the fish. Again : the senator from Missouri al- 
ludes to the whaling business, and says that, though this business fur- 
nishes many and excellent seamen, those engaged in it neither ask nor 
receive any bounty. For this there was a very good reason, to wit, that 
none was needed. The business was highly lucrative, and on turning 
to New Bedford, Nantucket, and other ports at the north, we may see 
that large fortunes have been accumulated in it. If it were otherwise — if 
it was necessary to bestow a bounty on those engaged in this business in 
order that it should be continued, he, for one, knowing how many good 
sailors it furnishes, and how dependent the country would be upon it in 
case of war, would cheerfully vote for such a bounty. But no such boun- 
ty is needed ; and, indeed, the senator from Missouri has drawn a com- 
parison between this and the cod fisheries, showing that the latter is in a 
declining condition. If this be so — and he was not disposed to deny it — 
it certainly furnished no reason why the scanty aid now furnished by the 
government should be withdrawn. On the contrary, it would seem to be 
a strong reason why the aid should be continued. The necessity for this 



542 APPENDIX. 

aid is found in the fact alluded to by the senator from Massachusetts 
(Mr. Davis), that the English and French governments afford liberal aid 
and encouragement to their fisheries, enabling them thereby to go into 
the markets of the world with a clear advantage over American fisher- 
men. But he did not intend to enlarge upon this subject. At another 
time, when the bill should come up for a repeal of the law, he perhaps 
might avail himself of the occasion to express his views more fully. 
" The petition was ordered to be printed, and laid on the table." 



EFFECTS OF THE TARIFF OF 1842 UPON THE WHALE 
FISHERY. 

Although I do not consider it within my province to offer any opinion 
of my own in reference to the effects of the present tariff laws upon the 
whaling interests, the reader will not, I think, find fault with me for giving 
him a few of the arguments which have been advanced in favor of and 
against the protective system. It is my desire to embrace within a small 
space all the useful and interesting matter touching this important branch 
of commerce that can with propriety be introduced. None will deny that 
the tariff question is one which deeply concerns its welfare. I therefore 
select from what has been said on both sides such arguments as carry 
with them the greatest weight, as well from their practical character as the 
respectability of their source. 

In his speech of May, 1844, Mr. Grinnell says : 

"Although this interest is not directly protected by the tariff of 1842, 
as sperm oil, whale oil, and whalebone are cheaper in this country than 
any other, yet those interested in it are decidedly in favor of the protect- 
ive policy. They have found by experience that when the manufacturers 
and mechanics of this country are actively employed, they could sell the 
products of the fishery at fair prices ; but when the duties have been low, 
and almost without discrimination in favor of such articles as are made 
in this country, that it has been difficult to make sales, even at low prices. 
They are in favor of this policy ; notwithstanding that the duties on each 
whale ship and outfits of 317 tons amount to $1700, they find themselves 
fully compensated by the home market." 

As an offset to this argument in favor of the protective system, I quote 
from a very able editorial article in a late number of the New York Even- 
ing Post, the following remarks on the other side of the question. The 
reader must draw his own conclusion. I wish it to be borne in mind that 
I express no opinion on the subject. 

" The whale fishery affords a most convincing illustration of the ab- 
surdity of the view which the friends of a protective tariff take of im- 
portations. 

" Those whose occupations have not led them to reflect on the sub- 
ject, or whose place of residence has not forced the fact upon their no- 
tice, are generally not aware what an immense branch of the industry of 



APPENDIX. 543 

this country consists in the extraction of riches from the ocean. We 
call the sea the highway of nations, but it is more than this ; it is the 
pati tmony and treasury of nations ; and the sea- faring men bred on our 
sounds, and capes, and islands are among the most adventurous, diligent, 
and successful cultivators of this vast inheritance, which has not yet 
been subjected to the laws of property, and remains common and open 
to all mankind. 

" A fleet of more than three hundred sail take their departure to pursue 
the whale fishery on the Northwest Coast from the two ports of New 
Bedford and Fairhaven, situated on the same little inlet. Nantucket and 
New London send out more than seventy each, and the ports of the east 
end of Long Island, on the Sound, are the places of rendezvous for large 
numbers of vessels engaged in the whale fishery ; sixty go out from Sag 
Harbor. The whole number of whaling vessels belonging to the United 
States is seven hundred and thirty. 

" The outfit, as it is called, for these vessels, that is to say, the stores 
and apparatus which are taken on board for the purposes of the voyage, 
is estimated by experienced persons to amount to about fifteen thousand 
dollars for each vessel. This would give, in round numbers, a total of 
about ten millions of dollars for the outfit of the whole number of vessels. 
But as each vessel is absent about two years and a half, on an average, 
the annual outfit of our whaling vessels, taking the estimate we have al- 
ready given as a basis, may be set down at four millions of dollars. 

"Now what is the reward of all this enterprise 1 What do the com- 
manders of our whaling vessels bring back to the country from these long 
and toilsome voyages, for which such expensive preparations are made 1 
The record of the contributions they make to the wealth of the country 
is found in the annual statements of our imports. 

" The value of the whalebone annually brought to this country by our 
vessels engaged in the whale fishery is about one million of dollars. 
The average of the importations of whale and sperm oil may be comput- 
ed at seven millions ; the sperm oil making about two thirds of this value. 
Thus we have eight millions added yearly to the riches of the country, 
for the four millions annually outdrawn. 

" But, again, the four millions which go to make up the yearly outfit of 
our whaling vessels are not shipped as exports. No record of them ap- 
pears in the returns of our commerce and navigation. They are cleared 
as stores or supplies and whaling apparatus. We have, therefore, an ad- 
dition of eight millions to our importations, against which we can not set 
off a dollar of exports." 



I am indebted to a gentleman who recently returned to the United 
States from the East Indies, in the Brandywine, for a file of Honolulu 
papers, dated September, 1844, from which I glean the following infor- 
mation in relation to the whale fishery in the Pacific Ocean. Honolulu 
is the great rendezvous for whalers cruising to the westward and north- 



544 APPENDIX. 

ward of Cape Horn, and any thing concerning the condition of our fish- 
ery, from a publication issued at that port, can not fail to be of particular 
interest. It is but seldom a Honolulu paper is found in the interior of 
the United States. The " Friend," a publication devoted to the cause of 
temperance and education, is quite a curiosity in this country ; and a few- 
extracts from it will show that the schoolmaster is " at home" in the 
Sandwich Islands. I find them in an interesting series of contributions 
written by Robert Crichton Wyllie, Esq., of Hazelbank, Scotland, who 
has been termed the "M'Culloch of the Sandwich Islands." 

" So far," says this writer, " as the number of whale ships touching 
at the Sandwich Islands affords an idea of the whale fishery of the Pa- 
cific, by far the greatest portion of it belongs to the United States, whose 
inhabitants first commenced it. This superiority is the more creditable 
to the Americans, that they have maintained it from first to last without 
any legislative protection. 

" The average value of the hulk of each American whaler maybe con- 
sidered $22,000, and of the outfit $18,000. 

" The adventure is divided into lays, or shares, of which the captain's lay 
is generally one seventeenth of the whole ; the first officer's, one twen- 
tieth ; the second officer's, one forty-fifth ; the third officer's, one sixtieth ; 
the boat-steerer's, from one eightieth to 120th ; and the common sailor's, 
from 120th to 150th. 

" Great Britain, during eleven years, from 1813 to 1824 inclusive, al- 
lowed the large sum of £82,700 in bounties to 490 ships, without fully 
establishing the fishery. This result is evident from the fact that in 1791 
Great Britain had afloat 75 South Sea men ; that the average yearly num- 
ber for the above eleven years was only 44, and that during the last year 
of the eleven, namely, 1824, it was reduced to 31. 

" No bounty has been allowed since 1824, yet the number of British 
South Sea whalers is still about 30. 

" The French whalers in the Pacific are estimated at about 70, most 
of which belong to Havre. The government, from the 1st of March, 1842, 
to the 31st of December, 1850, allows the following bounties, viz. : 

" On departure, 40 francs per ton on ships, crews wholly French. 

" On departure, 29 francs per ton on ships, crews partly French. 

" On return, 27 francs per ton on ships, crews wholly French. 

" On return, 14£ francs per ton on ships, crews partly French. 

" The following farther allowances are made on French whalers in the 
Pacific which have been out 30 months and upward, and have taken 
their fish beyond the 28th degree of North latitude : 

" 20 francs on every 200 pounds of oil and head matter up to the 31st 
of December, 1845. 

" 15 francs on every 200 pounds of oil and head matter from the 1st 
of January, 1846, until the 31st of December, 1850. 

" The same ships often touch twice during the year. 

" It will be seen that ships of late years have not generally succeeded in 
obtaining as much sperm oil as they did twenty years ago. I have at- 



APPENDIX. 545 

tempted to demonstrate the exact amount of the decrease, by selecting, 
as they occur in Mr. Reynolds's lists, six ships for each year out, re- 
spectively the same number of months. But as it is impossible to find 
the same number of ships for every year, out precisely the same time, 
blanks occur which can not be filled up, and hence the comparison is in- 
complete." 

For the purpose of encouraging whalers to visit Honolulu, the king has 
enacted laws which afford them facilities over every other class of ves- 
sels in obtaining refreshments and recruits. " All whalers are allowed 
to sell goods to the amount of $200 each, without paying any duty what- 
ever." 

" The harbor dues at this port are the following, viz. : 20 cents per 
ton on merchant vessels ; 6 cents per ton on whale ships and merchant 
vessels entering for the purpose of obtaining refreshments only." 

" The consumption of goods in the Sandwich Islands is not to be 
measured by the native population, numerically considered. Regard must 
be had to the foreign population, which is now very considerable, and the 
rates of whose consumption is much greater than that of the ill-clothed 
and poi-fed natives. Nor must we overlook the floating market arising 
from the immense fleet of whalers that touch yearly at these islands, dur- 
ing the seasons of the spring and fall. Each of these whalers is sup- 
posed to purchase vegetables, beef, and other produce of the islands, to 
the yearly amount of $200 on an average, and from $600 to $1300 in oth- 
er articles bought from the stores. I take the whole range, because some 
old residents estimate the total consumption of each whaler at $800, 
while others estimate it as high as $1500. I have been assured that, 
when the English whalers frequented this port, the average consumption 
of each vessel used to be from £250 to £300. 

" But even were the consumption much less, it is obvious that the pros- 
perity of these islands has depended, and does depend, mainly upon the 
whale ships that annually flock to their ports, many of them coming 
twice a year. Were the whale fishery to fall off, as seems in some 
measure to be the case, or were the vessels engaged in it to abandon 
these islands for some others in this ocean, or for ports on the Main, the 
ports in the Sandwich Islands would relapse into their primitive insignif- 
icance. The government seems to be aware of this, for I have shown 
in my notes that there are exceptions in favor of whalers, both in the du- 
ties and port dues. My only doubt is whether these exceptions have 
been carried far enough. I incline to the belief that whale ships should 
be exempted from all port dues, and that the police regulations toward 
sailors should be the mildest that the maintenance of order will permit." 

These police regulations are something of a curiosity, as will be seen 
from the following abstract : 

"Hanging, as a murderer, for knowingly and maliciously violating 
those laws whereby a contagious disease is communicated on shore. 

" $60 fine on any captain who leaves on shore any of his men without 
leave in writing from the governor. 

Zzz 



546 APPENDIX. 

" $10 for coming on shore with a knife, sword-cane, or any other dan- 
gerous weapon. 

" $2 for every seaman seized on shore, after the firing of the second 
gun from the fort, at half past nine o'clock P.M. 

" $10 on every person who aids, secretes, or entertains a seaman on 
shore after that hour ; and the same fine on every person who by force 
opposes the police in their search for such seaman. 

" $1 to $5 for hallooing or making a noise in the streets at night. 

" $6 for striking another in a quarrel. 

" $5 for racing or swift riding in the streets or frequented roads. 

" $1 for desecrating the Sabbath for the first time. 

" $2 for desecrating the Sabbath for the second time ; and then the 
fine is doubled for every repetition of the offense. 

" $6 for drunkenness. 

" $5 for fornication. 

" $30 for adultery. 

" $50 for rape. 

" $10 for lewd, seductive* and lascivious conduct. 

" $6 reward for catching every deserter near to the harbor ; $12 if 
ten miles off. 

" The port of Honolulu, Oahu, is in latitude 21° 18' N., and longitude 
158° 1' west from Greenwich. The climate is subject to little variation, 
the thermometer ranging only from 71° to 83°." 

The religious institutions in Honolulu are in a flourishing condition, 
and the missionaries stationed there are pursuing their labors with 
much zeal. 

I trust the great importance of this port as a rendezvous for our whal- 
ing fleet in the Pacific Ocean will be deemed a sufficient excuse for the 
length to which I have extended my quotations. There are a few more 
points, in relation to which very little is known in this country, so inti- 
mately associated with the interests of American whale ships, that I 
can not refrain from introducing them. 

" Native Seamen. — I have never heard any captain of a vessel," says 
Wyllie, " who did not speak highly of the native seamen whom he had 
employed. They are eminently subordinate, docile, goood-natured, and 
trustworthy, and, with proper training, they become good, efficient sea- 
men. Their extraordinary expertness in swimming renders them of 
great use where boats are employed in surfs. 

" It is very common for the young natives to engage themselves on 
board of whalers and other ships for long voyages. They can not now 
so embark without license from the governor of the island to which they 
belong ; and the captain who takes them away is required to sign a bond 
of $200 for their return within three years from date, provided he bo 
then alive. 

" The number of young men yearly taken off the islands as sailors was 
in former years so great as to be considered by many one of the causes 
of the depopulation of the islands. I do not believe that it deserved to 



APPENDIX. 547 

be so considered to any great extent, for although some of the natives 
remained abroad, and were never afterward heard of, yet many of them 
returned, and those who did carried with them a degree of knowledge and 
civilization useful to their countrymen, and more than compensating for 
the loss of those who never came back. 

" All these traveled kanakas are readily distinguishable among the pop- 
ulation, by their superior cleanliness, dress, and assimilation to foreign- 
ers in their manners and habits." The number of natives from the port 
of Honolulu alone, serving in whalers from January 1st, 1843, to June 1st, 
1844, was forty-four. " At Mani, and from other parts and ports of the 
islands, perhaps an equal number have been shipped during the same pe- 
riod." 

" The wages paid these men varies from $5 to $10 (per month), except 
where paid by ' lays' in whaling vessels ; but taking $8 as a low average, 
and in the assumption that 550 is the number of native seamen so em- 
ployed, their collective earnings will amount to $4400 yearly. There is 
little doubt that part of that sum, sooner or later, finds its way back to 
these islands, as happens with the migratory laborers of the Dutch, of 
Lucca, and of Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland. 

" The lays, or shares allowed in whalers, vary from a 120th to a 250th ; 
though perhaps three fourths of the kanakas get a 140th or a 150th, the 
same as allowed to European or American seamen." 

It will be gratifying to the friends of temperance to learn that the abo- 
lition of all intoxicating liquors on board our whaling vessels has become 
general, indeed, I believe, universal. The Rev. F. C. Damon, editor of 
the Honolulu Friend, bears testimony to the cheering fact in the follow- 
ing extracts from an editorial article of December 2d, 1844 : 

"It is with pleasure that we are able to report that the temperance re- 
form is triumphantly advancing among whalemen in the Pacific Ocean." 

" Every ship has more or less tetotallers among its crew. We can not 
now call to mind a single exception in that portion of the whaling fleet that 
has visited Honolulu within the past season." 



A LIST OF THE CRUISING-GROUNDS FREQUENTED BY 
WHALERS. 

"Although the spermaceti whale," says Beale, "has been seen and even 
captured in almost every part of the ocean between the latitude of 60° 
south and 60° north, I am not aware that it has ever been seen in the 
Mediterranean Sea, and seldom or never at Greenland, by modern navi- 
gators, although several ancient authors agree in stating that it has been 
frequently seen there ; for Cuvier has stated, from some authority, that 
the Greenlanders are remarkably fond of its flesh, which they consider a 
delicate viand when it is dried in smoke ; they ' also feed,' says Cuvier, 
' upon the fat entrails and skin.' And Sir Thomas Brown, in his work, 
published in 1686, after stating that many conceive the sperm whale to 



548 APPENDIX. 

have been the fish which swallowed Jonah,' also says that ' Greenland 
inquirers seldom meet with a whale of this kind.' 

" Whether this has been the case in former times or not, I will not pre- 
sume to determine ; I can only say that I have now made many inquiries 
among several captains of ships who have been engaged in the Green- 
land fisheries, and not one of them ever saw a sperm whale so far north 
as Greenland. They are seldom or never seen on ' soundings,' that is, 
where the bottom of the sea can be touched by the deepest sea line, or 
in the ' banks,' as they are termed by whalers, that exist in various parts 
of the ocean, as the ' Brazil banks,' which are only discolorations of water, 
caused by myriads of animalculae, which perhaps form the common black 
whale's food, and which consist of 'squillae' and other small animals. 
But the sperm whale has been sometimes taken near the borders of these 
* submarine pastures,' particularly near those of Brazil. The favorite 
places of his resort at the present day appear in the following list : 

" New Guinea and parts adjacent. — On the north coast of New Guinea, 
from 140° to 146° east longitude. New Ireland, from Cape St. George 
to Cape St. Mary; from Squally Island to the northward; from St. 
George's Channel to the southward ; on the east coast of New Britain ; 
about the Islands of Bougainville, as far as the Green or Bentley's Isl- 
ands ; Solomon's Archipelago, as far to the northward as Howe's Group ; 
Malanta, along the northeast and southwest parts, and in the straits, as 
far to the north as Gower's Island ; and off the west points of New 
Hanover. 

" King's Mill Group. — Off any part of these islands, but more espe- 
cially off the southwest parts of Roach's Island, distant from the land 
thirty or forty miles, and off the southwest portion of Byron's Island. 

" Equinoctial Line. — From the longitude of 168° to 175° east. 

" Ellis's Group. — Off the south side, distant from the land three or four 
miles. 

" Rotuma. — Off the southeast side, distant from the land fifteen to 
thirty miles. 

" New Holland. — Off the eastern coast, from latitude 25° to 34°, and 
along the northwest coast. 

" New Zealand. — From the east cape to the north cape, the land dip- 
ping, and off the shoal to the northeastward, as far as Curtis's Island. 

" Tongataboo. — Off Middleburgh Island, and isles adjacent. 

" Navigator Islands. — Southwest side of Tootooillah. 

" From Fenning's to Christmas JsZawd.— Situated on the line. 

"American Continent. Peru. — Off the shore, from longitude west 90° 
to 130°, in the latitude 5° south to the line. Coast of Peru, from the 
line to 16° south, off Paita Head, used to be very famous. 

" Gallipagos Islands. — Off the south head of Albemarle Island ; 
Weather and Lee Bays, or Elizabeth and Banks's Bays. 

" Middle Ground. — Between the Continent and the Gallipagos Islands. 

" Molucca Isla7ids. — Off the north point of Moratay, and off the east and 
west sides of Gillalo, and also off the adjacent isles. 



APPENDIX. 549 

" Bonton. — Off the east side and in the straits. 

" Timor. — In the Straits of Timor ; off the south side of Omby ; off the 
south side of Panton, and off the south side of the adjacent islands, as 
far as Sandal-wood Island, to Java Head ; and off the shore in latitude 12° 
to 16°, and longitude from 112° to 120°. 

" Mahee Island. — Off the eastern side ; off Johanna Island, in the Mo- 
zambique Channel ; off the Island of Aldabra ; on the line, from 55° to 
60° ; off the Cape St. Marys, Madagascar. 

" Chili. — Off the island of Chiloe, to the northward, along the coast of 
Chili, and as far south as 37°, the land dipping. 

" California. — Off Cape St. Lucas, and off the Tres Maria Islands. 

" Japan. — Along the coast ; Volcano Bay ; Loo Choo Islands ; off 
shore ground of Japan, from the latitude of 28° to 40°. 

" Benin Islands. — All round them, within forty miles. 

" China Sea. 

" Red Sea. 

"Persian Gulf. 

" They are not unfrequently seen about the equinoctial line in the At- 
lantic Ocean." 

Although this list embraces in general terms the principal cruising 
grounds known to whalers, it is by no means as full as that given in the 
last chapter of Wilkes's Narrative, which comprises all the discoveries of 
new grounds recently made. It may seem supererogatory to introduce 
both ; but, anxious to make this part of the Appendix as complete as pos- 
sible, I quote them, at the risk of prolixity, because there is some differ- 
ence in the statements of the two writers, and some of the information con- 
tained in the remarks of the first is not to be found in those of the last. 
Besides, Beale should have his full meed of the credit of having given, per- 
haps, the first extended list of the cruising-grounds resorted to by whalers. 

I have frequently heard it suggested that Wilkes's chapter on the 
whale fishery should be published in some cheap form, so that all who 
feel an interest in the subject may have access to it. There are many 
who can not afford to pay $60 for the best, or $25 for the cheapest edition 
of the whole narrative. The benefits of the information relating to the 
whale fishery are, therefore, almost exclusively confined to the wealthy, 
or those who are able to purchase the five volumes. Valuable knowledge 
of this kind ought to be disseminated among all classes. Two reasons 
induce me to believe it will be an acceptable addition to the present work : 
first, because it gives an authentic and satisfactory explanation of many 
things which I had no opportunity of observing with care ; and, second, 
because it will complete a full, valuable, and, I hope, not uninteresting 
compilation, giving a view of the whale fishery, from its origin up to the 
present time, in such a form as will enable seamen as well as captains to 
have access to it. 

" The whaling interest, taking into consideration the extent to which 
it has been carried by our countrymen, may be almost claimed as pecul- 
iarly American. There are few employments in which the enterprise 



550 APPENDIX. 

and industry of our countrymen are so well developed as in this, or in 
which so much hardihood or so many resources are required to ensure 
success. 

" Our whaling fleet may be said at this very day to whiten the Pacific 
Ocean with its canvass, and the proceeds of this fishery give comfort and 
happiness to many thousands of our citizens. The ramifications of the 
business extend to all branches of trade, are spread through the whole 
Union, and its direct or secondary influence would seem to recommend 
it to the especial protection and fostering care of the government. 

" As it was among the first objects of the Exploring Expedition to ren- 
der the dangerous path of these enterprising mariners more safe, I trust 
it will have been perceived that throughout the operations of the squad- 
ron this interest has never been lost sight of. In fact, it has always 
been my constant study to accomplish whatever could tend to its benefit. 
In the course of the various and devious voyages we have made, the 
greatest attention has been paid to the winds and currents ; and from my 
investigations I hope to be able to point out the most feasible routes by 
which to gain the proper cruising grounds, and to define their localities 
more clearly than has hitherto been done. 

" Among other duties, we were called upon to administer chastisement 
for the murder of portions of the crews of whale ships, as well as of per- 
sons belonging to the squadron, which was done, not as a vindictive re- 
taliation, but to convince the natives that their attacks on vessels bear- 
ing our flag can not pass with impunity. 

" In all places to foster a good feeling, to establish a system of fair 
dealing, to win confidence, and to act justly. The knowledge of the na- 
tive character which I have obtained, and have recorded in the preceding 
pages, will, I hope, be of use in preserving a good understanding between 
them and those who follow us. Rules and regulations were agreed upon 
in many places with the chiefs, for the purpose of rendering the property 
and lives of our citizens more secure in their visits to the ports of the 
islands ; and it is to be hoped that they will be strictly observed on the 
part of American vessels. 

" The Expedition has done much, by its surveys and explorations, to 
make the islands, their anchorages and harbors, better known ; and very 
many doubtful shoals, reefs, and islands have been carefully searched for. 
Particular information respecting these dangers will be embraced in the 
hydrographical memoir. 

" Our whaling fleet now counts six hundred and seventy -five vessels, 
the greater part of which are ships of four hundred tons burden, amount- 
ing in all to two hundred thousand tons. The majority of these vessels 
cruise in the Pacific Ocean. Between fifteen and sixteen thousand of 
our countrymen are required to man these vessels, half of whom go to 
sea for the first time as 'green hands,' and return, after a voyage of fa- 
tigue and hazard, transformed into sailors. 

" The value of the whale fleet is estimated at not less than twenty-five 
millions of dollars, yielding an annual return of five millions extracted 



' APPENDIX. 551 

B 

from the ocean by hard toil, exposure, and danger. The estimated quan- 
tity of oil imported into the United States is about four hundred thousand 
barrels, nearly one half of which is sperm oil. 

" It might be said that the employment of so large a number of persons 
is not constant, because many of the vessels are always to be found in 
our harbors. But it is well known that the same number of hands are 
employed in port as at sea ; and I believe, from my own observation and 
the statements of others, that, so far from falling below the estimate, the 
number of persons actually engaged in this business would greatly exceed 
the registry of the crews, as our ships are constantly in the practice of 
taking on board extra hands from the Azores, Cape de Verds, and South 
Sea Islands, which would probably amount to an eighth or a tenth 
more. 

" The number of those on shore to whom this branch of business gives 
employment will readily be admitted to be twice as great as that of the 
crews. When we add to this profitable occupation of so many persons, 
the value of the domestic products consumed by them, and the benefit 
that is thus conferred upon both our agricultural and manufacturing in- 
terests, the importance of this branch of business will appear greatly en- 
hanced. By a large majority of persons it is believed that the whale 
fishery is a mere lottery, in which success is more owing to good luck 
than to good management. Those, however, who entertain such an 
opinion are in error. There is, perhaps, no employment on the ocean 
wherein a sound judgment is more necessary, and no business where 
success depends more upon the experience, enterprise, and industry of 
the commander than in that of whaling. 

" Voyages may indeed be made by incompetent persons, and by fortu- 
itous circumstances success may be obtained ; but those who are well 
acquainted with the business will' almost certainly ' fill up' in the time al- 
lotted to a voyage, and frequently in a much shorter period. 

" There are two kinds of whales that are principally the object of search 
by our whalers. These are the sperm whale (Macrocephdus), and the 
right whale (Mysticelus). These two animals differ exceedingly, both in 
their form and in their habits. The first is furnished with teeth, the last 
with a collection of laminae ; they are therefore adapted to different kinds 
of food : the former feeds on the large medusa of the ocean, termed by 
the whalers squid ; the other on small Crustacea, and small fish. Their 
feeding grounds are seldom in the same places ; for, while the latter fre- 
quents the coasts and bays, the former is seldom found except in the 
deep sea, and generally far from the land. 

" Whales of the two different kinds are easily distinguished at a dis- 
tance by the experienced, from the volume of their spout, its direction 
and elevation, the number of times it is repeated, the manner in which 
they dive, the length of time they disappear, and the body they expose 
to view. 

" I shall now proceed to point out the cruising grounds, and explain 
the operations of the whalers, directing my attention first to the sperm 



552 APPENDIX. 

whale fishery, not only because it is the most valuable, but because it 
depends more upon the skill and information of those engaged in it. 

" The master of a whale ship should be a good seaman and navigator, 
well acquainted with the winds and currents, as well as with the cruis- 
ing grounds of his prey. When he is thoroughly acquainted with these, 
and possesses a good ship, with a spirit of perseverance and energy, there 
is little fear of his returning home with a 'clean ship.' 

" The principal whaling grounds in the Pacific are shown on the map 
annexed to this chapter ; they are confined particularly to spaces which 
have been known in the Pacific Ocean by names well understood among 
the whalers, such as the ' on shore ground,' and the ' ofF shore ground,' 
' middle ground,' &c. These spaces, however, have wide limits ; thus, 
for instance, the ' on shore ground' embraces the whole extent of ocean 
along the coast of Chili and Peru, from the Island of Juan Fernandez to 
the Gallipagos Islands ; and the ' off shore ground' the space between 
latitude 5° and 10° south, longitude 90° and 120° west. 

" The following embraces all the different grounds in the Pacific visited 
by our whalers : 

" 1. The on shore ground. 

"2. The off shore ground. 

" 3. In the neighborhood of the Hawaiian Islands. 

"4. In the neighborhood of the Society Islands. 

" 5. In the neighborhood of the Samoan Group. 

"6. In the neighborhood of the Feejee Group. 

" 7. In the neighborhood of the King's Mill Group. 

" 8. Along and to the south of the equator, from the coast of South 
America to the King's Mill Group. 

" 9. Across the South Pacific, between the parallels of 21° and 27° 
south. 

" 10. Across the North Pacific, between the parallels of 27° and 35° 
north. 

" 11. In the neighborhood of the east coast of New Zealand. 

" 12. The middle ground between New Holland and New Zealand. 

" 13. The coast of Japan, and between it and the Benin Islands. 

" 14. The northwest coast of America. 

" 15. Coast of California. 

" These, it will be seen, embrace a large field, and it might be suppos- 
ed that a ship could hardly miss finding the animals. Such, however, is 
not the case. A vessel may visit all these places, and yet return home 
a ' clean ship,' if she happened to be out of season. It appears from ex- 
perience that whales, in their migrations, congregate in the above- 
named places at certain times of the year, and those who are acquaint- 
ed with the business endeavor to be early on the cruising grounds. I 
shall now point out the times, according to the best information, at 
which the whales visit the several grounds, and, although not a whaler, 
I hope to give such information as may be useful to this class of my 
countrymen. 



APPENDIX. 553 

" For convenience of description, the cruising grounds may be consid- 
ered as included within four sections or belts. 

"These belts are from twenty to twenty-five degrees of latitude in 
width. 

" The first of which I shall speak is that between the equator and the 
northern tropic ; the second, between the tropic and 50° north ; the third, 
between the equator and the southern tropic and latitude 50° south. 

" Within the tropics whales are almost always to be met with. There 
are, however, particular places within this zone where they chiefly con- 
gregate. Whales are found in the first belt on the north side of the equa- 
tor, to the southward of the Sandwich Islands, and thence westward as 
far as the Mulgrave Islands, for the greater part of the year ; but the only 
spot or space they are known to abound in at any particular season, 
within this belt, is to the westward of the Gallipagos ; they pass and re- 
pass over the rest of this space in their migrations, and may generally be 
found near to or around the small islands. 

" In the second belt, they range from the coast of Japan to the north- 
west coast of America and California ; this they frequent from May till 
November. In the month of July they are found off the Benin Islands, 
and between them and the coast of Japan. They frequent the space ly- 
ing to the northward of the Hawaiian Islands, and comprehended between 
the parallels of 28° and 35° north ; and within the meridians of 145° and 
156° west, from June to October ; and resort to the northwest coast of 
America in August and September, and to that of California in Novem- 
ber and January. 

" The third belt comprises the ocean from the coast of South America 
to the King's Mill Group, including the Marquesas, Society, and Friendly 
Islands, the Samoan and Feejee Groups. Within these are the spaces 
known as the ' on shore and offshore grounds.' The latter the whalers 
frequent from November to February, and along this belt they are found 
until the months of July and August, by which time they reach the King's 
Mill and Feejee Groups. There are, however, stragglers to be met with 
in this space during all seasons. 

" The fourth belt extends from the southern tropic to the latitude of 
50° south. The most profitable time for cruising within it is in the 
months of March, April, and May, to the eastward of New Zealand. Af- 
ter that date, along and between the parallels of 22° and 28° south, from 
the coast of New Holland to that of South America. The portion of sea 
between New Holland and New Zealand is called the ' middle ground,' 
and is frequently found very profitable. 

" From an examination of the particular localities in which whales are 
found most at certain seasons, and connecting these with my own ob- 
servations on currents, I am induced to believe the places of their resort 
will point more correctly to the neutral points, or spaces of no current, 
than any other data that we yet possess. 

" These must necessarily become the rendezvous, or feeding-places, of 
these animals. The determination of these points will, therefore, throw 

4 A 



554 APPENDIX. 

additional light on the system of currents in the ocean, by pointing out 
the neutral spaces. The chief resort of whales will be seen on the map 
at one view ; and when these are connected with the currents shown to 
exist by the observations of the Expedition and others, they will be found 
to correspond in a remarkable manner with the neutral spaces. 

" I have myself paid much attention to acquiring information in rela- 
tion to the position of these grounds from the masters of whale ships, 
but have usually found their reports at variance one with another, and 
they have sometimes differed as much as five degrees in assigning their 
limits. Their position, no doubt, varies much in different years ; but even 
this will not explain all the discrepancies of the statements. 

" If we examine the seasons of the appearance of whales at certain 
islands, they will generally be found to be between the beginning and the 
end of the summer of the climate, during which time animal life is most 
prolific, and the food of the whale consequently abounds near the partic- 
ular group. I have frequently been told, and it is generally believed, 
that whales are partial to warmth, and frequent few places outside the 
tropics. This, if true, would be singular enough ; but the main reason 
for their frequenting the summer seas at particular seasons is the pro- 
curement of food, which is there to be found in greater abundance ; and 
there appears to be little doubt that in migrating these animals move 
with the currents until they find their food in plenty, and then continue 
in such locality until it is exhausted. 

" A number of instances are known, as will be seen by referring to the 
Track Map which will be found in the Atlas to this volume, in which, 
at certain seasons, strong currents have been experienced in places 
where three months afterward they were found to have ceased altogether, 
or even to have changed their direction. I have now particular reference 
to the northwest coast. 

" Having pointed out the different belts in the Pacific, I will now refer 
to the localities in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, where the sperm 
whale fishery is most successful. 

"These, in like manner, are found to correspond, and are connected 
with, the obstructions of the submarine currents, or the places where, 
from opposing currents, they become lost. 

" In the Atlantic Ocean : 

"1. Off the Azores, or Western Islands. 

"2. Off the Cape de Verdes. 

"3. North of the Bahama Banks. 

"4. Gulf of Mexico. 

" 5. Caribbean Sea. 

" 6. To the eastward of the Windward Islands. 

" 7. North coast of Brazil. 

" 8. South coast of Brazil. 

" 9. Carrol Ground, or a space of ocean lying between St. Helena and 
Africa. 

"In the Indian Ocean: 



APPENDIX. 555 

" 1. Off the south end of Madagascar, and between it and Africa. 

"2. Off the north end of Madagascar. 

"3. The coast of Arabia. 

" 4. West coast of Java. 

" 5. Northwest coast of New Holland. 

" 6. South coast of New Holland, and between it and Van Diemen's 
Land. 

"The periods of time allotted to these fisheries coincide with the times 
at which it might be expected that the food of the whale would be most 
plentiful if brought by the polar streams. 

" The Atlantic fishery is, for the most part, carried on in a smaller clas3 
of vessels than those used in the Pacific ; the voyages are of less dura- 
tion, and less capital is, therefore, required in this business than the other. 
In speaking of cruising grounds, I shall follow the order in which they 
are visited. 

" The first in point of time is that near the Azores. This ground does 
not extend more than two hundred miles from these islands, and lies 
principally to the southwest of them. Here whales are found during 
the summer months, and as late as October. These islands, it will be 
well to remark here, lie in the route of the great North Polar Stream, 
and form an obstruction to its passage ; consequently, the food is arrest- 
ed in its progress, and is accumulated here. 

" The next ground visited is off Cape Blanco and the Cape de Verdes, 
and it is also searched by the outward-bound ships of the Pacific fleet. 
The whalers of the Atlantic next pass to the north coast of Brazil, in the 
months of October, November, and December, and thence to the Brazil 
Bank, and off the mouths of the Rio de la Plata, where they fish in Jan- 
uary and February ; after this they seek St. Helena and Carrol Ground, 
which lies from fifty to two hundred miles south of that island, toward 
the Cape of Good Hope. On the latter ground they remain during the 
months of March, April, and May ; and thence they pass to the west- 
ward, along the South American coast, to the eastward of the Windward 
Islands ; thence to the Bahama Banks, Cape Hatteras, and along the 
coast of the United States, home. 

" The smaller class of whalers seldom extend their cruisings to the 
south of the line, but after they have visited the first two whaling grounds 
they usually pass to the westward, toward the Islands of Fernando de 
Noronha, and thence along the South American coast, till they reach the 
Windward Islands. They frequent the Caribbean Sea in the months of 
January and February ; and farther to the westward, off the Peninsula 
of Yucatan and Cuba, in April ; after which time they proceed through 
the Gulf of Mexico, to cruise off the Bahama Banks and Cape Hatteras, 
in May. Thence they pass northward, on either side of the Gulf Stream, 
to the eastern side of the Grand Banks. 

" In the Indian Ocean, the south part of Madagascar, off Point Dauphin, 
is visited in March and April ; in May, June, and July the ground off the 
southwest coast of Madagascar, in the Mozambique Channel, and upon 



556 APPEiNDIX. 

both sides of that channel. The whalers usually recruit in St. Augus- 
tine's Bay, where supplies are to be had in abundance, and both wood 
and water are easily procured. After this they usually spend some time 
off Cape Corrientes, with the cape and headlands on either side, and visit 
the Comoro Isles. Sperm whales are frequently found in numbers among 
these islands, and ships usually do well in their vicinity. The African 
coast, from Mozambique to Zanzibar, is good ground, and the latter is 
also a good port for repairing. 

" Some ships extend their cruising during the northeast monsoon, from 
October to April, to the Arabian coast, but the African is generally pre- 
ferred. The Chagos Archipelago at times affords some success, but it is 
very doubtful ground, and has not been often frequented. The proper 
season is during the southwest monsoon. 

" The most profitable ground in the Indian Ocean is the west and north- 
west coast of New Holland, as far eastward as the islands of Timor, 
Lomboch, and Angier, and westward to the Keeling Islands, including 
the coast of Java. 

" On reference to the map illustrative of the currents and whaling 
grounds before referred to, it will be perceived how nearly these grounds 
coincide with the places wherein, according to the views already stated, 
the polar streams are obstructed by land or islands, so as either to inter- 
rupt their course, or create such an impediment as to change it. 

" The Soolo Sea is the only place that remains to be noticed. Amer- 
ican ships, however, have seldom gone thither ; but English vessels are 
reported as having met with much success there. 

" There are two routes by which our whale ships can enter the Pacif- 
ic : one by the Cape of Good Hope, and round New Holland ; the other 
by Cape Horn. 

"To take the first route, they ought generally to time their departure 
so as to meet the season of New Zealand in March, and this is also the 
best course for ships sailing in the autumn from the United States. They 
will then reach their whaling ground at the earliest possible season, and 
place themselves at once in a situation to reach the harvest of which 
they are in search ; and they would, in all probability, have time to refit 
and recruit after the outward voyage. This is much more important for 
insuring success in this employment than very many, either of the mas- 
ters or owners, are aware. After a few days in port, and a supply af 
fresh vegetables, they would find both their ships and crews in a better 
condition to take the sea and keep it. After remaining six weeks or two 
months on the New Zealand ground, until the winter season and bois- 
terous weather approach, the vessels should pass to the northward, to- 
ward Sunday Island, and thence cruise to the eastward, between the 
latitudes of 22° and 28° south, or even to a few degrees higher latitude. 
The lower latitudes are, however, found to be the most frequented b.y 
the whale. Along these parallels they proceed as far as the coast of 
South America, so as to arrive there in the course of the month of Sep- 
tember, after passing part of the time to the westward of the islands of 
Juan Fernandez and Massafuera. 



APPENDIX. 557 

" Other vessels reach the Society Islands in June, and thence pass to 
the westward, in order to meet the season of the Samoan and Feejee 
Groups ; thence, again, without the tropics, to the south, either on the 
t middle ground' between New Holland and New Zealand, or to a higher 
south latitude, and again meet the season off New Zealand, at the end 
of the summer or in March. Those that reach the coast of Chili gener- 
ally recruit in the Bay of Talcahuana, or in the port of Payta, in Peru, 
and are ready to take up the season on the ' off shore ground' in No- 
vember. 

" Vessels leaving the United States in the beginning of summer would 
do better to take the route round Cape Horn, reaching Chili or Peru in 
time to recruit before the month of November, at which time they repair 
to the ' off shore ground,' where they remain for one, two, or three 
months ; thence pass to the Marquesas Islands, and to the westward of 
them, and thence to the west, along the equator, as far as the Mulgrave 
Islands, and the coast of Japan. Returning, they proceed to the north- 
west coast of America, California, and, finally, reach the Sandwich 
Islands to recruit by the months of October and November. Other ves- 
sels pass directly from the ' off shore ground' to the neighborhood of the 
Sandwich Islands, where they spend the months of February, March, 
and a part of April ; they then proceed to the latitude of 30°, and con- 
tinue their cruising on each side of that parallel, between the meridians 
of 146° and 165° west, until October, when they repair to the Hawaiian 
Islands to recruit. 

" It will readily be seen that there is ample room for a vast fleet to op- 
erate in these numerous and extensive spaces without the vessels inter- 
fering with each other, and many more might be advantageously em- 
ployed. An opinion has, indeed, gained ground within a few years, that 
the whales are diminishing in numbers ; but this surmise, as far as I 
have learned from the numerous inquiries, does not appear to be well 
founded. 

" They have, indeed, become wilder, or, as some of the whalers express 
it, ' more scary,' and, in consequence, not so easy to capture ; but if we 
consider the numbers that continue to be yearly taken, there will, I think, 
be no reason to suppose that any great decrease has occurred. On an 
average, it requires fifty whales to fill a ship, and it would therefore take 
about five thousand whales annually to supply the quantity of oil that is 
imported. This would appear but a small proportionate number, if these 
animals were as prolific as our herds on shore, when it is considered 
that they have a feeding ground of twenty millions of square miles. 

" The pumber of right whales captured is to the spermaceti in the 
proportion of about two to one. The former are principally found on the 
coasts, in the bays, and even in the harbors, and are far more numerous 
than the sperm whale. They are pursued to the greatest advantage in 
small vessels. They frequent the coast of Chili during the summer sea- 
son, from October to March, and are to be found on the northwest coast 
of America and that of California during the northern summer, or from 



558 APPENDIX. 

March to November. On both the east and west coast of New Holland, 
as well as on that of New Zealand, they are abundant from September 
to March, in the bays where they resort to calve. This, however, they 
no longer do without molestation, as the shores are now occupied by ex- 
tensive establishments for taking them, well provided with boats. On 
the signal from the look-out the boats are launched, and soon in hot pur- 
suit of the game, which, when killed, is towed into the bay, and dragged 
on shore, where it is cut up and ' tryed out.' 

" There are few places which surpass these localities for the commis- 
sion of all kinds of vice ; and in saying this, I have reference as well to 
those of South and West Australia as to those of New Zealand, although 
the latter are most noted for their enormities. Some merchants, it is 
said, in Sydney, advance the capital and share the profits with those who 
undertake the business. The latter generally engage in their service a 
large number of natives and some of the lowest whites, whom they allow 
to indulge in every sort of vice, so long as they can make use of them. 
Quarrels often take place between the parties engaged in the same busi- 
ness, and the rivalry not unfrequently leads to sharp conflicts and blood- 
shed. 

" I am surprised that the British authorities have not taken cognizance 
of the outrageous acts that are constantly taking place within the limits 
where they claim authority. One of these acts was made known to me 
after my arrival at the Bay of Islands, and I regretted the impossibility 
of repairing to the spot to demand redress. The following is the state- 
ment of the master, officers, and crew : 

" ' While the whale ship Adeline, Thomas Brown, master, was lying at 
Kapiti, on the 12th of December, 1839, for the purpose of refitting with 
wood and water, at about 2 P.M., as the third officer and five of the crew 
were employed in towing off a raft of water, being about one mile from 
the ship, they were boarded by a whale boat, having a crew of eight Eu- 
ropeans and one New Zealander, under one James Harrison, as heads- 
man, armed with pistols and knives (being a part of the persons employed 
by Raymond and Young), who forcibly took possession of the boat, and 
cut off the raft, threatening instant death to any one who should make 
resistance. Having thus captured the boat, they at once made sail, and 
ran for their establishment on the shore, about six miles distant. The 
captain, on perceiving the piratical act, at once followed with two boats, 
but did not succeed in overtaking them until they reached the shore and 
had hauled the captured boat upon the beach. AVhile on his way he was 
pursued by another boat, which kept firing at him. The captured boat 
was surrounded on the beach by from thirty to forty desperate-looking 
wretches, more or less armed. Of these Harrison became the spokes- 
man, declaring that they had taken the boat and meant to keep it, at the 
risk of all the party's lives, to which they all signified their assent. Cap- 
tain Brown repeatedly cautioned them against such acts of piracy ; but 
his caution was received with curses and all kinds of abuse,' and finally 
a pistol was presented, with the declaration that he, Harrison, would 



APPENDIX. 559 

blow out the brains of Captain Brown if he attempted to rescue the 
boat.' 

" Such has been the indiscriminate manner in which the whales have 
been slaughtered, both old and young, that these haunts have of late 
years been less frequented by them. 

" The right whale is found of much larger size in high latitudes than in 
low, and not unfrequently yields, when taken in these latitudes, as much 
as one hundred and eighty barrels of oil. Besides the oil, the whalebone 
produces some profit. A large number of these whales were seen by us 
in the bays about Cape Horn, in the months of March and April ; but 
the weather there is seldom favorable to the use of boats, and would, of 
course, preclude success in carrying on such a business. 

" On soundings and in shoal water, attempts have been made to cap- 
ture a different species of whale, called the humpback (Gibbosa) ; but 
there is a great impediment to the securing of the spoils of this game ; 
for, when killed, they immediately sink for thirty or forty hours. It there- 
fore becomes necessary either to anchor a boat near by, to watch them, 
or leave a buoy, and then, not unfrequently, they may be swept off by the 
under current, or lost by bad weather. 

" Although the high latitudes offer great inducements, on account of 
the number and size of the whales, yet there are many difficulties exist- 
ing that render it preferable to pursue the game in the low latitudes. 
The weather, even in the summer season, is often tempestuous, which 
makes it dangerous to lower the boats ; and there are, even in the fine 
season, fogs, which not only tantalize, but prevent the chase from being 
extended to any distance from the ship, without the risk of losing both 
boats and crew. I have been told that it has frequently happened that 
the boats have been separated from the ship for several days ; thus not 
only producing great anxiety, but often much distress from want of pro- 
visions and water. Our whalers feel that there is quite enough of ad- 
venture and peril in following their employment in the lower latitudes. 

" Notwithstanding these difficulties, the favorite and most successful 
ground for the right whale is between the fiftieth and fifty-fifth parallels 
of north latitude, where vast numbers have been recently taken in June 
and July, of great size ; although the season is of short duration, yet 
large ships have obtained a full cargo before its close. 

" It is impossible to meet a whale ship on the ocean without being 
struck by her mere appearance. The vessel under short sail, with look- 
outs at the mast-head, eagerly scanning the wide expanse around them, 
has a totally different air from those engaged in a regular voyage." 

[Here follows a short description of the usual manner of capturing 
whales, cutting them in, and trying out their blubber. Having described 
this process very fully in the foregoing narrative, it is hardly necessary 
to quote any thing relating to the same subject.] 

" The profits of the whale fishery have been great, and show what in- 
dustry and perseverance can yield when well directed. The small num- 
ber of accidents in this large fleet is surprising ; for the total losses for 



560 APPENDIX. 

which the underwriters have to pay seldom exceed one per cent., and 
those from other accidents are not more than one half per cent. The 
insurance seldom exceeds two and a half per cent, by the year, and at 
this low premium the underwriters have derived good dividends. 

" Of late years there has been much fluctuation in the price of oil, 
which has caused those to make losing voyages who returned at the times 
of its depression ; but at the steady prices of eighty-five cents per gallon 
for sperm oil, and thirty-five cents for whale oil, voyages would generally 
yield a handsome return. 

"It is estimated that about ten per cent, of the ships make losing voy- 
ages, as well from the incompetency of the masters as from accident and 
ill-luck. 

" The greater proportion of oil finds a market in Germany, Holland, 
and Prussia ; consequently, the prices abroad control those at home. 

" I have stated the number of sperm whales that are taken at five 
thousand, and this may in some years be beyond the truth. From the best 
authorities, the whole of both species annually taken is about ten thou- 
sand, including those lost from accident, and those cut adrift, in conse- 
quence of bad weather or night. These losses may amount to eight or 
ten per cent, of those mortally wounded. It is said that an equal pro- 
portion of bull and cow whales are taken. It is, however, admitted that 
the latter are the most numerous ; and the probable reason for the equal- 
ity of the number taken may be, that the bull whale, being the largest, 
is most sought after. The bull whales yield, on an average, from thirty 
to one hundred barrels of oil, while the cows seldom exceed forty-five 
barrels, and at times yield no more than five barrels. Bull whales are 
never found together but in small numbers, while the cows are seen in 
large herds. 

" The right whales occupy the higher latitudes in both hemispheres, 
which are their feeding grounds. As the winter is setting in, the cows 
resort to the bays to bring forth their young, where they remain until the 
spring months, when they again resort to the feeding grounds to meet 
the bulls. It is not known where the latter go during the interval, but 
it is generally supposed to the high latitudes, where they*find food in 
greater plenty. 

" While visiting the ports for the purpose of recruiting, the crews of 
whale ships are often found in a state of lax discipline; both captains 
and crew take this opportunity to lay their complaints before the consuls, 
who are much troubled with them, and frequently at a loss to understand 
and pass upon- the merits of the case. The crews usually complain of 
bad provisions, short allowance, and bad usage ; in some cases, I have 
heard them assert that they felt their lives in danger from the outrageous 
conduct of the captain; and in one instance even the officers joined in' 
the. complaint. The captain, on the other hand, believed that there was 
a conspiracy on foot to poison him. 

"Many Americans are found on the different islands, who have been 
turned ashore from whale ships, or left because they have broken their 



APPENDIX. 561 

liberty a single time, near the end of the voyage. Such treatment leaves 
too much ground to believe that they are purposely left, in order to in- 
crease the profits of the shipmaster or owners. Several of these men 
were received, in a perfectly destitute condition, on board the Vincennes ; 
others were taken out of prison, and all related many of the difficulties 
and troubles they had to encounter on board the ships to which they were 
attached ; although I am not generally disposed to place much reliance 
on their statements, yet it can not but happen that out of so many cases 
there must be some in which the seamen are in the right. 

"It is difficult to suggest any remedy for this state of things by legis- 
lation. The law passed in 1837 has had a beneficial effect in protecting 
the crews against a short supply of provisions and in causing them to be 
furnished with wholesome food. But the quantity as well as the quality 
of the rations ought to be fixed by law, that any one who is restricted in 
food by his master may receive an equivalent in money. 

" The ration has hitherto been left to the master and owner, and al- 
though it is the true interest of the latter that the crew of his ship should 
be well fed, yet there are many who think and practice the contrary. 
I see no reason why there should not be a lawful ration fixed, as well in 
the merchant service as in the navy, and when it is not supplied in full, 
that the crew shall be entitled to be paid for the deficiency ; it then could 
be no object for a master or owner to stint them. I have generally ob- 
served that by far the greater part of the complaints arise from this 
cause, and when the master is in part owner they are almost invariably 
made. 

" Another cause of complaint arises from the practice of issuing slops 
to the crews instead of money, and giving the supply of these to the mas- 
ter as a perquisite. I was not a little surprised when I learned that this 
perquisite had amounted to eighteen hundred dollars with a crew of 
about thirty men. It, in fact, sometimes reaches the amount of between 
two and three thousand dollars ; and it will naturally excite some curi- 
osity to know how so large a nett gain could accrue from sailors whose 
ordinary dress is but a pair of coarse blue trowsers and red flannel shirt. 
There is, however, no difficulty in the explanation. The crew, in the 
first place, get an outfit in clothing as an advance, which is charged to 
them at a profit of one hundred per cent. ; they then, when allowed liber- 
ty on shore, are obliged to draw these goods or clothing in lieu of money, 
and can not exchange them on shore for more than one fourth of what 
they are charged for them. In this way a debt is accumulated against 
the ' lay' of the seamen, until he finds, before the end of the voyage, that 
the whole amount that ought to accrue to him is dissipated. This natu- 
rally leads to discontent against the persons whom he knows or believes 
to be the authors of his loss, and for whose gain all his labors have gone. 
This state of things unavoidably produces difficulties more or less serious, 
according to the number of the crew who find themselves thus circum- 
stanced. I am not prepared to say how this can be avoided, but I am 
well satisfied it would be for the interest of the owners to reserve this 

4B 



562 APPENDIX. 

supply to themselves, and charge it to the crew at such an advance on the 
cost as will just secure themselves from loss. By doing this, they would 
find that the expenses caused by detention, and the many vexations and 
quarrels, would be saved. It is inconceivable how much time is lost in 
port by these difficulties between the master and crew. 

" Many difficulties would certainly be prevented by the government 
sending men-of-war to the ports at the time they are frequented by the 
whalers, not only to support the authority of the consuls and masters of 
whalers, but, at the same time, to protect the interests of the crews. I 
am well assured that the presence of our national vessels would, in a 
great measure, prevent many of the disturbances that are constantly oc- 
curring between the masters and crews, among the crews of different ves- 
sels, and between both these and the authorities on shore. 

" It is due to the large interest embarked in this extended fishery, that 
the government should protect its defenseless ships against savage at- 
tacks, and have a force at hand to preserve the property in case of acci- 
dent or wreck. Two of our vessels of war, actively engaged, would suf- 
fice to afford ample protection to this business, by being kept cruising so 
as to reach the various ports at the proper seasons. In this way they 
might be the means of relieving many of our countrymen from distress- 
ing situations, and of restoring them to their homes in safety. A knowl- 
edge among the whaling fleet that their interests were watched over, even 
if they made no calls for aid, would give security and protect them from 
impositions, as well as prevent them from practicing fraud, or committing 
aggressions on the natives of the islands they visit. Such aggressions 
invariably lead to retaliations on the part of the chiefs, which they inflict 
on the first unsuspecting vessel that anchors in their ports. The capture 
of vessels and the massacre of their whole crews have frequently been 
owing to this cause. 

" It would also be the means of securing the owners against losses ; for 
it scarcely need be stated, that, in the event of accidents that would be 
deemed elsewhere of a trivial nature, condemnation frequently ensues, 
and a total sacrifice of property. This is not to be ascribed to any want 
of vigilance, or to connivance on the part of our consuls or the public au- 
thorities ; but it arises from the desire, on the part of the whole commu- 
nity, to derive profit out of accident. A visit of a man-of-war, or the 
feeling that one was or would be at hand to afford succor and relieve dis- 
tress, would have a tendency to remove these evils. 

" The difficulties to which the whaling fleet is exposed are often aggra- 
vated by the position of our consuls ; for if engaged in trade, as they al- 
most always are, they lose that influence and standing with the authori- 
ties which they otherwise would have, whether civilized or savage, as 
well as with their own countrymen. 

" The whole system is wrong ; those appointed to such stations should 
not be suffered to engage in trade, but should receive a salary adequate 
to their support. This would place them in a situation to assert our 
rights, prevent the difficulties now of daily occurrence, and enable the 



APPENDIX. 563 

consuls to maintain the high standing they ought to hold in foreign 
ports. 

" The crews of whale ships are much more prone to scurvy than I had 
any idea of. During our stay at Oahu several ships arrived more or less 
affected with this horrible disorder, which arose from various causes. 
My inquiries satisfied me it was in most cases to be imputed to the long 
period passed at sea, aggravated by the despondency arising from want 
of success. In one case in particular, the captain had stopped at some 
islands for fruit and provisions, of which he had received an ample sup- 
ply, and, concluding that his crew would recover, he continued to cruise 
until he finally reached Oahu with no more than three men fit for duty. 
Several of his men had died, and the rest were in a very precarious state. 
This, in my mind, is a sufficient proof that it is absolutely necessary not 
only to give the crew occasional relaxation, but a change of employment, 
and additional hours of rest ; it also shows that fresh provisions are not 
alone a sufficient preventive against, or cure for, the scurvy. A change 
of diet must be accompanied by a change of scene, and cleanliness. To 
a strict attention to these circumstances, and care in promoting cheer- 
fulness, I impute the remarkable freedom from disease enjoyed in the 
squadron during the whole cruise. Feeling constantly that on the health 
and good condition of my men every thing depended, I lost no opportunity 
of encouraging amusements, and particularly of enjoining attention to 
cleanliness. 

" I would strongly urge upon the owners of whale ships the necessity 
of the assignment of a larger and more airy apartment to the crew. The 
usual accommodation in the forecastle of a ship is in every respect un- 
fitted to preserve either cleanliness or comfort. There is, perhaps, more 
room for improvement in this respect than in any other that can engage 
the attention of the owners of ships. While they are lavishing every 
sort of expense on the cabins and saloons, and receiving the meed of 
praise from the civilized world for the costliness and beauty of the deco- 
rations, I would ask them to bestow some small attention and expendi- 
ture to increase the comforts of the common sailor, by whose aid alone 
their business can be carried on. 

" Among the masters of whale ships whom it has been my good for- 
tune to fall in with were many intelligent persons, from whom I have 
derived much pleasure and information in my intercourse with them. As 
a class, they bear a high character ; but there are some, I regret to say, 
whose actions only tend to bring disgrace on themselves and the pursuit 
they follow. I shall not dwell upon such a disagreeable topic, trusting 
that time and good example will meliorate the evil. 

" There is one entreaty I would urge upon all those who are engaged 
in the whale and biche de mer fishery : namely, that, in their intercourse 
with the natives of the South Seas, they would treat them with justice 
and honesty. By so doing, I am satisfied that, however much they may 
be exposed to dangers, they will escape without harm. I would not, 
however, be understood to say that they should relax any thing in watch- 



564 APPENDIX. 

fulness against treachery ; but while this is attended to, all harsh treat- 
ment to the natives should be avoided. 

" Above every thing, a strict morality should be preserved on board, 
both by precept and example, and none should believe themselves be- 
yond the eye of those whose respect they value at home. I am well as- 
sured that under such auspices the arrival of a whale ship would be 
hailed with delight in the ports it may visit, instead of being often looked 
upon, as it now is, as a blight upon a dawning civilization. On no con- 
sideration should the debt to those pioneers of civilization, the missiona- 
ries, be forgotten ; for they have already, in very many parts, by their ex- 
ample and instruction, been the means of saving many of our country- 
men and shipmates from cruel captivity and horrible death. 

" Before closing this chapter, I would also say a word to the first plan- 
ners and promoters of foreign missions in the South Seas, entreating them 
to turn their attention to the morals of those who follow the sea, and the 
improvement of their condition. Our ships might, by proper exertions 
at home, be soon made to carry on every breeze to the ports and islands 
of the Pacific, such an example as would promote the great cause of mo- 
rality, religion, and temperance. Of one truth I am satisfied, that if one 
tenth of the sums and attention now expended in other ways were ap- 
plied to improving the condition of sailors, elevating them in their cir- 
cumstances, both at sea and on shore, it would produce in a short time 
the most desirable results ; and instead of our ' tars' being considered, as 
they now frequently are, worthless reprobates, opposed to every thing that 
is sacred, they will be found a band of industrious advocates in the cause 
of civilization. Until this class of men is brought up to a respectable 
standing, the cause to which so much exertion has been applied, so much 
talent and perseverance have been sacrificed, and which now claims so 
much of the interest and attention of the civilized world, can never per- 
manently prosper. 

"The field for improvement is wide, and those who first labor in it 
must reap a satisfactory harvest. To none does it more appertain to take 
the first. step, and push earnestly onward, than the owners of our mer- 
cantile marine, and of our whaling fleet in particular." 



THE SPERM WHALE (Macrocephalus). 

Beale gives the following description of theexternal form of this whale : 
" The head of the sperm whale presents in front a very thick, blunt 
extremity, called the snout, or nose, and constitutes about one third of 
the whole length of the animal ; at its junction with the body is a large 
protuberance on the back, called by the whalers the ' bunch of the neck ;' 
immediately behind this, or at what might be termed the shoulder, is the 
thickest part of the body, which from this point gradually tapers off to the 
tail, but it does not become much smaller for about another third of the 
whole length, when the ' small,' as it is called, or tail, commences ; and 



APPENDIX. 565 

on this point also, on the back, is a large prominence of a pyramidal 
form, called the ' hump,' from which a series of smaller processes run 
half way down the ' small,' or tail, constituting what is called by whalers 
the ' ridge.' The body then contracts so much as to become, finally, not 
thicker than the body of a man, and terminates by becoming expanded 
on the sides into the ' flukes,' or tail, properly speaking. The two flukes 
constitute a large triangular fin, resembling, in some respects, the tails 
of fishes, but differing in being placed horizontally. There is a slight 
notch or depression between the flukes posteriorly ; they are about six 
or eight feet in length, and from twelve to fourteen in breadth in the 
largest males. The chest and belly are narrower than the broadest part 
of the back, and taper off evenly and beautifully toward the tail, giving 
what by sailors is termed a ' clear run.' The depth of the head and body 
is, in all parts except the tail, greater than the width. The head, view- 
ed in front, presents a broad, somewhat flattened surface, rounded and 
contracted above, considerably expanded on the sides, and gradually con- 
tracted below, so as in some degree to resemble the cutwater of a ship. 

" At the angle formed by the anterior and superior surfaces, on the left 
side, is placed the single blowing hole or nostril, which in the dead ani- 
mal presents the appearance of a slit or fissure, in form resembling an /, 
extending longitudinally, and about twelve inches in length. 

" This nostril, however, is surrounded by several muscles, which, in 
the living state, are for the purpose of modifying its shape and dimen- 
sions, according to the necessities of respiration, similar to those which 
act upon the nostrils of land animals. 

" In the right side of the nose and upper surface of the head is a large, 
almost triangular-shaped cavity, called by whalers the ' case,' which is 
lined with a beautiful glistening membrane and covered by a thick layer 
of muscular fibers and small tendons, running in various directions, and 
finally united by common integuments. This cavity is for the purpose 
of secreting and containing a small, oily fluid, which, after death, con- 
cretes into a granulated substance of a yellowish color, the spermaceti. 
The size of the case may be estimated when it is stated that, in a large 
whale, it not unfrequently contains a ton, or more than ten large barrels 
of spermaceti. 

" Beneath the case and nostril, and projecting beyond the lower jaw, 
is a thick mass of elastic substance called the ' junk ;' it is formed of a 
dense cellular tissue, strengthened by numerous strong tendinous fibers, 
and infiltrated with very fine sperm oil and spermaceti. 

" The mouth extends nearly the whole length of the head. Both the 
jaws, but especially the lower, are in front contracted to a very narrow 
point, and when the mouth is closed the lower jaw is received within a 
sort of cartilaginous lip or projection of the upper one, but principally in 
front ; for farther back, at the sides and toward the angle of the mouth, 
both jaws are furnished with tolerably well-developed lips. In the lower 
jaw are forty-two teeth of a formidable size, but conical shape ; there 
are none, however, in the upper, which instead presents depressions cor- 



566 APPENDIX. 

responding to, and for the reception of, the points of those in the lower 
jaw ; sometimes, however, a few rudimentary teeth may be found situ- 
ated in the upper jaw, but never projecting beyond the gums, and upon 
which those in the lower jaw strike when the mouth is closed. 

" The tongue is small, of a white color, and does not appear to possess 
the power of very extended motion. 

" The throat is capacious enough to give passage to the body of a man ; 
in this respect presenting a strong contrast with the contracted gullet of 
the Greenland whale. 

" The mouth is lined throughout with a pearly white membrane, which 
becomes continuous at the lips and borders with the common integument, 
where it becomes of a dark brown or black color. 

" The eyes are small in comparison with the size of the animal, and are 
furnished with eyelids, the lower of which is the more movable : they 
are placed a little above and behind the angle of the mouth, at the widest 
part of the head. At a short distance behind the eyes are the external 
openings of the ear, of size sufficient to admit a small quill, and unpro- 
vided with any external auricular appendage. 

" Behind, and not far from the posterior angle of the mouth, are placed 
the swimming paws, or fins, which are analogous in their formation to 
the anterior extremities of other animals, or the arms of man ; they are 
not much used as instruments of progression, but probably in giving a 
direction to that motion, in balancing the body in sinking suddenly, and 
occasionally in supporting their young. 

" In a full-grown male sperm whale of the largest size, or about eighty- 
four feet in length, the dimensions may be given as follows : depth of the 
head, from eight to nine feet ; breadth, from five to six feet ; depth of 
body seldom exceeds twelve or fourteen feet, so that the circumference 
of the largest sperm whale of eighty or eighty-four feet will seldom ex- 
ceed thirty-six feet ; the swimming paws, or fins, are about six feet long 
and three broad ; the dimensions of the flukes, or tail, have been previous- 
ly mentioned. 

" In reviewing this description of the external form and some of the 
organs of the sperm whale, it will, perhaps, not be uninteresting if some 
comparison is instituted between them and the corresponding points of 
the Greenland whale. In doing this, the remarkable adaptation of forms 
and parts to different habits, situation, and food, will not fail to strike 
every one with admiration. 

" One of the peculiarities of the sperm whale, which strikes at first 
sight every beholder, is the apparently disproportionate and unwieldy 
bulk of the head ; but this peculiarity, instead of being, as might be sup- 
posed, an impediment to the freedom of the animal's motion in his na- 
tive element, is in fact, on the contrary, in some respects very conduc- 
ive to his lightness and agility, if such a term can with propriety be ap- 
plied to such an enormous creature ; for a great part of the bulk of the 
head is made up of a large, thin, membranous case, containing during 
life a thin oil of much less specific gravity than water ; below which, 



APPENDIX. 567 

again, is the junk, which, although heavier than the spermaceti, is still 
lighter than the element in which the whale moves ; consequently, the 
head, taken as a whole, is lighter specifically than any other part of the 
body, and will always have a tendency to rise at least so far above the 
surface as to elevate the nostril, or ' blow-hole,' sufficiently for all pur- 
poses of respiration ; and more than this, a very slight effort on the part 
of the fish would only be necessary to raise the whole of the anterior flat 
surface of the nose out of the water ; in case the animal should wish to 
increase his speed to the utmost, the narrow inferior surface, which has 
been before stated to bear some resemblance to the cutwater of a ship, 
and which would, in fact, answer the same purpose to the whale, would 
be the only part exposed to the pressure of the water in front, enabling 
him thus to pass with the greatest celerity and ease through the bound- 
less track of his wide domain. 

" It is in this shape of the head that the sperm whale differs in the most 
remarkable degree from the Greenland whale, the shape of whose head 
more resembles that of the porpoise, and in it the nostril is situated much 
farther back, rendering it seldom or never necessary for the nose to be 
elevated above the surface of the water ; and when swimming even at 
the greatest speed, the Greenland whale keeps nearly the whole of the 
head under it ; but as his head tapers off evenly in front, this circumstance 
does not much impede his motion, the rate of which is, however, never 
equal to that of the greatest rate of the sperm whale-. 

" It seems, indeed, in point of fact, that this purpose of rendering the 
head of light specific gravity is the only use of this mass of oil and sper- 
maceti, although some have supposed, and not without some degree of 
probability, that the 'junk' especially may be serviceable in obviating 
the injurious effects of concussion, should the whale happen to meet 
with any obstacle when in full career. This supposition, however, would 
appear hardly tenable, when we consider the Greenland whale, although 
living among the rock-like icebergs of the Arctic Seas, has no such con- 
venient provision, and with senses probably in all, and certainly in one 
respect less acute than those of the sperm whale, on which account it 
would seem requisite for him to possess this defense rather than the sperm 
whale, whose habitation is, for the most part, in the smiling latitude of 
the Southern Seas. Considering the habits and mode of feeding, and the 
superior activity and apparent intelligence of the sperm whale, we shall 
be prepared to expect that he must possess a corresponding superiority in 
external senses ; and we accordingly find that he enjoys a more perfect or- 
gan of hearing, in having an external opening of considerable size for the 
purpose of conveying sounds to the internal ear more readily and acutely 
than could be done through the dense and thick integument which is con- 
tinued over the auricular opening in the northern whale. 

" Although the eyes in both animals are very small in comparison with 
their bulk, yet it is remarked that they are tolerably quick-sighted. I am 
not aware that the sperm whale possesses, in this respect, any superi- 
ority. 



568 APPENDIX. 

" Passing to the mouth, we again observe a very remarkable difference 
in the conformation of the two animals ; as in place of the enormous 
plates of whalebone which are found attached to the upper jaw of the 
Greenland whale, we in the sperm whale only find depressions for the 
reception of the teeth of the lower jaw ; organs which again are totally 
wanting in the other. Corresponding with these distinctions, which 
plainly point out that the food of the two whales must be very different, 
we find a remarkable difference in the size of the gullet. 

" The several lumps or ridges on the back of the sperm whale consti- 
tute another difference in their external aspect ; these prominences are, 
however, not altogether peculiar to the sperm whale, as that which is 
called by whalers the ' humpback' possesses a prominence on the back 
not very dissimilar to that of the sperm whale, which has been noticed be- 
fore, in the introductory remarks, and which induced Saccapede to divide 
the genus Balaena into those with a hump and those without ; employ- 
ing the name Balaena for the latter, and styling the others Balaenoptera. 

" I have before adverted to the sharp cutwater-like conformation of the 
under part of the head in the sperm whale, and it is worthy of remark 
that the same part of the Greenland whale is nearly, if not altogether flat. 

" The skin of the sperm whale, as of all other cetaceous animals, is 
without scales, smooth, but occasionally, in old whales, wrinkled and fre- 
quently marked on the sides by linear impressions, appearing as if rubbed 
against some angular body. The color of the skin, over the greatest 
part of its extent, is very dark ; most so on the upper part of the head, 
the back, and on the flukes, in which situation it is, in fact, sometimes 
black ; on the sides it gradually assumes a lighter tint, till on the breast 
it becomes silvery gray. 

" In different individuals there is, however, considerable variety of 
shade, and some are even piebald. Old ' bulls,' as full-grown whales are 
called by whalers, have generally a portion of gray on the nose, imme- 
diately above the fore part of the upper jaw, and they are then said to be 
' gray-headed.' 

" In young whales, the ' black skin,' as it is called, is about three eighths 
of an inch thick, but in old ones it is not more than one eighth. 

" Immediately beneath the black skin is the blubber or fat, which is 
contained in a cellular membrane, and which is much strengthened by nu- 
merous interlacements of ligamentous fibers, which has induced Profess- 
or Jacob to consider the whole thickness of the blubber to be the cutis 
vera, or true skin, infiltrated with oil or fatty matters. Its thickness on 
the breast of a large whale is about fourteen inches, and on most other 
parts of the body it measures from eight to eleven inches. The head is 
not, however, supplied with this covering, having only the black skin, or 
cutis, which lies close to a layer of very dense cellular tissue, under which 
is seen a considerable thickness of numerous small tendons, intermixed 
with muscular fibers. 

" This is more especially observed on the top and upper third of the 
head surrounding the case, as lower down we find the black skin lying 
close to the peculiar structure of the junk. 



APPENDIX. 569 

"This thick covering of skin, blubber, or fat, is called by South Sea 
whalers the ' blanket.' It is of a light yellowish color, and, when melted 
down, furnishes the sperm oil. It also serves two excellent purposes to 
the whale, in rendering it buoyant, and in furnishing it with a warm pro- 
tection from the coldness of the surrounding element ; in this last respect 
answering well to the name bestowed upon it by the sailors." 

In addition to the above faithful description of the sperm whale, I give 
a single quotation more, which refers to a point upon which there seems 
to be a great diversity of opinion. Beale, with his usual sagacity, sees 
the error and corrects it. I am surprised that his work has never been 
republished in this country, for it certainly contains a great variety of 
useful and correct information concerning the whale tribe. 

" I can only say, when I find myself again in opposition to those old 
and received notions, that, out of the thousands of sperm whales which 
I have seen during my wanderings in the South and North Pacific Oceans, 
I have never observed one of them to eject a column of water from the 
nostril. I have seen them at a distance, and I have been within a few 
yards of several hundreds of them, and I never saw water pass from the 
spout-hole. But the column of thick and dense vapor which is certainly 
ejected is exceedingly likely to mislead the judgment of the casual ob- 
server in these matters ; and this column does, indeed, appear very much 
like a jet of water, when seen at the distance of one or two miles, on a 
clear day, because of the condensation of the vapor which takes place 
the moment it escapes from the nostril, and its consequent opacity, which 
makes it appear of a white color, and which is not observed when the 
whale is close to the spectator, and it then appears only like a jet of 
white steam ; the only water in addition is the small quantity that may 
be lodged in the external fissure of the spout-hole, when the animal rais- 
es it above the surface to breathe, and which is blown up into the air 
with the spout, and may probably assist in condensing the vapor of which 
it is formed." 

" The humpbacked whale, which is well known to whalers, possesses, like 
the Greenland whale, the baleen, and spouts from the top of the head, yet 
has a hump not very dissimilar to that of the sperm whale." . . " So that 
they resemble each other in some respects, and differ so widely in other 
parts of their formation, and also in their habits, that they each neces- 
sarily belong to distinct classes of beings, and convince me that they can 
not properly be arranged in families, from the form or situation of their 
fins, humps, teeth, or baleen. 

" Food. — The food of the sperm whale consists almost wholly of an 
animal of the cuttle-fish kind, called by sailors the ' squid,' and by natu- 
ralists the ' sepia octopus.' This squid, or sepia, at least forms the prin- 
cipal part of his sustenance when at a distance from shore, or what is 
termed ' offshore ground ;' but when met with nearer land, he has been 
known, when mortally or severely wounded, to eject from his stomach 
quantities of small fish, which are met with in great abundance in the 
bays and somewhat near the shore. These fish, it is supposed, are at- 

4C 



570 APPENDIX. 

tracted into the whale's mouth by the white and glistening appearance of 
the roof and teeth ; and when a sufficient number are within the mouth, 
he rapidly closes his jaws and swallows the contents. It seems to be 
well established that the whale does not pursue its prey. 

" The octopus (or squid), which was the animal denominated polypus 
by Aristotle, has eight arms of equal length, and contains in its interior 
two very small rudimentary shells, formed by the inner surface of the 
mantle." Its texture is fibrous, and it has eight arms, with which it 
twines round objects of any shape. Its external appearance is pellucid, 
somewhat resembling jelly, and it is said to measure occasionally thirty 
feet between the most remote extremities, but there is a great difference 
in the size, some being very large, and others very minute and even mi- 
croscopic. Touching this subject and its connection with the migratory 
habits of the sperm whale, Lieutenant Wilkes, of the United States Ex- 
ploring Expedition, says : 

" It is well known to whalers that the favorite and appropriate food of 
the sperm whale is a gelatinous medusa ; which, however, has not as yet 
received from naturalists much attention. It may, however, be advanced 
as certain that this molluscous animal most abounds in the higher latitudes 
of both hemispheres, which would therefore seem to be the places in which 
it is produced, and to which its habits are best adapted.* During our 
cruise in the higher southern latitudes, we saw vast numbers of these 
medusae, around and near the icebergs. The quantity was such as to 
prove conclusively that it was in the waters of the temperature caused 
by the vicinity of these masses of ice that they delight to dwell. Whales 
were also in abundance, and although principally of the fin-back species, 
sperm whales were not entirely wanting. 

" As regards the medusa, its powers of locomotion are feeble, and con- 
fined chiefly to the purpose of rising and sinking at pleasure. If polar 
currents exist, it must, therefore, be swept by them from the place of its 
nativity, and in its passage to lower latitudes will, by its locomotive pow- 
er, seek strata in the water of the low temperature to which its consti- 
tution is best adapted. My attention was drawn to the habits of the 
whales here in particular, from the novel manner they exhibited of feed- 
ing near the surface, instead of diving lower down, as they are usually 
seen to do in lower latitudes i they were constantly in sight, instead of 
being only seen at intervals. 

" It will be readily admitted that the medusa, like other animals, has its 
appropriate seasons of procreation, and it will appear probable that the 
season at which we saw them in such numbers was that in which they 
are brought forth most abundantly. So, also, however low the temper- 
ature of the water in which they delight, there is little probability that 
their increase goes forward when the regions in which we met them are 
locked up in ice, and the genial light and warmth of the sun is denied them. 

" The food of the sperm whale will, therefore, be borne off to lower lat- 

* " Innumerable animalcule, the appropriate food of the right whale, are also found there, 
as has been seen from our own observations at the South, and those of Scoresby at the North." 



APPENDIX. 



571 



itudes by the polar streams in greater abundance at one season than an- 
other, and this former season corresponds with that in which these cur- 
rents have their greatest force. The sperm whale, it must be expected, 
will- leave the higher latitudes, and follow the currents which transport 
his food. 

" In conformity with this view, we find the habits of the sperm whale 
migratory. The polar currents, as has been seen, disappear from the 
surface in many cases, but do not cease to flow; and even when felt 
both at the surface and below, they will, in approaching lower latitudes, 
have their higher temperatures near the surface. The medusae will, 
therefore, descend in either case to greater depths, and the whale must 
dive in quest of the food which, in higher latitudes, he could find at the 
surface. We have seen in what a decided manner the polar currents 
become or continue superficial at the southern promontories of the con- 
tinents. A similar cause, operating to a less extent, raises them, if sub- 
marine, when they are interrupted or impeded by islands, and spreads 
water of low temperature over the surface. Here, then, at the proper 
season, the food of the whale will be not only accessible, but more abund- 
ant within a given space, in consequence of the check the velocity of 
the stream must experience. 

" So, also, in the zones of calms, we have seen that the matter borne 
by the polar currents in all probability finds a resting-place ; and here, 
also, at fit seasons, the food of the whale must be abundant. Points 
possessing either of these characteristics I have distinguished, as before 
stated, by the name of nuclei. 

" However satisfactory this theory may be in explaining the causes of 
the migratory habits of the sperm whale, it is obvious that we do not 
know enough of the natural history of his favorite food, nor of the rate 
and course of all the submarine polar currents, to enable us to predict 
with certainty the seasons at which he will be found in particular parts 
of the ocean. This can be learned by observation alone, and long ex- 
perience has taught those who are skillful in the whale fishery the posi- 
tion of the favorite haunts of their prey, and the times at which they are 
most likely to be met with there. Comparing these points and the nu- 
clei of the currents, as observed and explained in the preceding pages, 
the coincidence will strike every one who will examine the subject ; and 
when all the facts necessary to illustrate this subject shall be ascertained, 
theory may serve, in some degree, to shorten the apprenticeship which is 
now necessary in order to acquire game in this adventurous employment ; 
the object, therefore, of the residue of this chapter will be devoted to 
whaling, and to point out the results which our own observations, with 
the information derived from others, has afforded." 



572 APPENDIX. 

THE RIGHT WHALE {Great Mysticete). 

Shaw, in his Natural History, gives the following description of this 
whale : 

" It is the chief of the whale tribe, and, unless the krakan be not a 
fabulous existence, is the largest of all animals, either of land or sea. 
Before the northern fisheries had reduced the number of the species, it 
was no very uncommon circumstance to find specimens of a hundred feet 
in length, or even longer. Such, however, are now very rarely seen, and 
it is not often that they are found of more than sixty or seventy feet 
long. In its general appearance this animal is peculiarly uncouth, the 
head constituting nearly a third of the whole mass ; the mouth is of pro- 
digious amplitude ; the tongue measuring eighteen or twenty feet in 
length ; the eyes are most disproportionately small. In the upper jaw 
are a vast number of very long and broad horny laminae, disposed in reg- 
ular series along each side ; these are popularly known by the name of 
whalebone. On the top of the head is a double fistula, or spout-hole, 
through which the enormous animal discharges water at intervals, caus- 
ing the appearance of a marine jet d'eau, ascending to a vast height in 
the air. Its common color is black above and white beneath, but in this 
circumstance it is known to vary. Its general residence is in the North- 
ern Seas, where it has long constituted the principal trade of the whale 
or oil fishery. Its food is supposed to consist chiefly of different kinds 
of sepias, medusas, and other marine molluscae." 

THE FIN-BACKED WHALE. 

" This species is of a much more slender form than the preceding, 
which it equals in length ; the head is rather narrow, the mouth very 
wide, and the lips are marked by a number of oblique wrinkles or plates, 
in such a manner as to resemble, in some degree, the appearance of a large 
twisted rope. The upper jaw is furnished with laminae of whalebone, on 
the same plan as in the great whale, but smaller and shorter in propor- 
tion, and generally of a bluish color. The general color of this species 
is a dark or blackish olive on the upper parts, and whitish beneath. Mar- 
tens compares the color to that of a tench. On the lower part of the 
back is situated a small thick or fatty fin, of about three or four feet in 
length, and of a somewhat sharpened form. This animal swims with 
greater celerity and vigor than the great whale, and is considered as much 
more dangerous to attack, exerting such rapid and violent motions as to 
render the capture extremely difficult ; and as the oil which it affords is 
much less plentiful than in the former species, it is, of course, less an 
object of pursuit. It is known to the fishers by the title of the fin fish, 
being easily distinguished by its back fin, as well as by its much more vi- 
olent blowing and spouting. It inhabits the same seas with the great or 
common whale." — Shaw. 



APPENDIX. 573 

Of the Mysticete, or right whale species, Shaw mentions, in addition 
to the foregoing, the following : 

" Pike-headed Mysticete. — This species measures fifty feet or more in 
length, and is found both in the Northern and Southern Oceans. It is 
of moderately slender form, but somewhat thick on the fore parts, and 
its color is black above and white beneath : the upper part of the belly is 
marked by numerous longitudinal plaits or wrinkles, the insides of which 
are of a red color. It has a double spiracle or blow-pipe on the head, the 
holes of which are approximated, and which it can close in such a man- 
ner, by a common operculum, as to appear single. The head is moder- 
ately large, and of a gradually tapering form, yet ending in a somewhat 
broad or obtuse tip. It lives on a small species of salmon, called the 
Salmo arcticus, as well as on the Argonauta arctica and the Ammodytes Fo- 
bianus, or launce. It is a very timid animal. 

" Bunched Mysticete. — This species is a native of the Northern Seas, 
and is said to be of the same general form with the great whale, but of 
smaller size, and to have the back furnished with one or more tuber- 
cles. Their whalebone is said to be of a pale or whitish color. 

" Under-jawed Mysticete. — This is a native of the Northern Seas, and 
seems much allied to the pike-headed mysticete, but grows to a much 
larger size ; having been found, it is said, of the length of seventy-eight 
feet, measuring thirty-five feet in girth. The laminae of whalebone are 
black, and short in proportion to the size of the animal, the longest not 
measuring more than three feet. In the year 1692 a specimen was taken 
on the coast of Scotland. 

" Rostrated Mysticete. — This is by far the smallest as well as the most 
elegant in its appearance of all the Mysticetes, or whalebone whales, being 
rarely known to attain the length of twenty feet. The head, upper part 
of the back, fins, and tail are of a dark or bluish-brown, but the sides 
and abdomen are of a beautiful white, with a very slight tinge of pale 
rose or flesh-color, and are marked for more than half the length of the 
animal by very numerous longitudinal plaits or furrows ; the eyes are 
small, as is also the head, and the snout is much more elongated than in 
any other species, gradually tapering to the extremity, which is slightly 
pointed : the back fin is small, and situated at no great distance from the 
tail ; the pectoral fins are small and narrow, and the tail is divided into 
two longish or pointed lobes. The whole animal has an elegant, fish-like 
form, and has none of that uncouth appearance which prevails in the 
larger species. 



Hunter, speaking of the whale tribe, says : 

"The blood of this order is, I believe, similar to that of quadrupeds ; 
but I have an idea that the red globules are in larger proportion." "It 
is certain that the quantity of blood in this tribe and in the seal is com- 
paratively larger than in the quadruped, and therefore, probably, amounts 
to more than that of any other known animal." Whales " differ from 



574 APPENDIX. 

fish in having the red blood carried to the extreme parts of the body, sim- 
ilar to the quadruped." 

" The substance of the brain is more visibly fibrous than I ever saw it 
in any other animal ; the fibers passing from the ventricles as from a 
center to a circumference, which fibrous texture is also continued through 
the cortical substance. The whole brain in the piked whale weighed 
four pounds ten ounces." 



INVENTIONS FOR KILLING THE WHALE. 

Many expedients have been resorted to from time to time by the in- 
genious to overcome the hazards and increase the profits of the whaling 
business. It was thought, in the earlier stages of this pursuit, that a more 
safe and expeditious way of killing the whale than by the harpoon could 
be devised. Various inventive geniuses set to work, in consequence, and 
suggested innumerable methods, none of which were attended with such 
success as to insure the expediency of their adoption. There was, be- 
sides, a repugnance, on the part of old and experienced whalemen, to any 
infringement upon their established method of capturing the whale. Its 
hazards had no terrors for them ; they had become accustomed to the har- 
poon and the lance, and preferred these instruments to all scientific con- 
trivances. Among the experiments made, the most interesting were the 
gun for shooting harpoons, the bomb shell, and the use of prussic acid. 
I find an account of the first in Anderson's Historical and Chronological 
Deduction of the Origin of Commerce : 

" In the year 1731 the South Sea Company sent out their remaining 
twenty-two ships on the whale fishery, one of which was lost, and the 
other twenty-one ships brought home fourteen whales, which was far from 
being a saving voyage. At the Company's dock there had at this time 
been invented a new sort of gun for shooting with gunpowder the har- 
poons into the bodies of whales, at a greater distance than the harpoons 
could be thrown by hand ; and the ships were accordingly provided with 
some of them, which were used both in this and the next year's fishery, 
with some success. They were chiefly adapted to a calm season, and 
were scarcely practicable in blowing weather, which mostly happens in 
the Greenland seas. And although the foreign harpooners could not 
easily be brought to use them, as being out of their usual method, yet in 
a ship fitted out by Mr. Elias Bird and partners, two years after, out of 
the three whales brought home, two of them were said to be killed by that 
new-invented gun." 

I learned while at sea that another experiment had been tried, but with 
even less success. This invention is not mentioned in any of the works 
which I have examined, and will, no doubt, be somewhat novel to the 
reader. It was proposed that a small swivel gun should be attached to 
the bow of the boat, with a bore of about an inch in diameter. A round 
and hollow piece of iron, charged with a combustible preparation, and 



APPENDIX. 575 

sharp at one end, was to be shot from this gun into the body of the 
whale. By an ingenious contrivance, a match was so placed at the butt- 
end of this instrument, that the explosion would not take place till sev- 
eral minutes after it had entered the whale. The dart being heaviest at, 
the sharp end, it could be shot a considerable distance with unerring aim. 
It was thought by many that this invention could not fail of success, and 
a vessel was sent out, fitted with a number of these swivel guns and 
bomb-shells. In one respect the apparatus succeeded admirably — whales 
were killed with amazing facility. All that the boats had to do was to 
pull up within shooting distance and fire away. A few moments after the 
attack the immense body of the whale was seen to explode with a grand 
report. But, unfortunately, before the prize could be secured it always 
sank beyond hope of recovery. The buoyant properties being destroyed 
by the explosion, the whalemen had the mortification of seeing all their 
game disappear beneath the clear blue waves. Thus, this invention 
proved a failure. 

The next improvement upon the ordinary method was the use of prus- 
sic acid. The head of the harpoon was made with a cavity capable of 
containing a sufficient quantity of this deadly poison to kill the whale al- 
most instantly. When the iron penetrated the blubber, by a very simple 
contrivance the poison was forced out, and, as was expected, the whale 
was killed without farther trouble : so that one dart answered every pur- 
pose, thus avoiding exposure to its dying throes. This invention proved 
not only a failure, but was attended by the most disastrous consequences. 
Several of the crew were poisoned during the process of cutting and try- 
ing the blubber, which was found to be impregnated with the prussic 
acid, and two of them died in consequence of some slight wounds on their 
hands, having absorbed the poison. The use of prussic acid was., there- 
fore, abolished at once. 

Experience has sufficiently proved that the old method is the best, after 
all. The dangers to which whalemen are exposed are great, but they 
have learned to regard them as inseparable from their calling. All these 
inventions may do very well in the way of experiment, for it is only by 
experiment that we can hope to arrive at perfection in any pursuit ; but 
the probability is, the harpoon and lance, as they have been from time 
immemorial, will continue to be, in all future ages, the most effective in- 
struments in the capture of the whale. 



SPECIMENS OF THE SOWHELIAN LANGUAGE. 



Oo-the-a, trouble. 
Tan-goo-ka, it will fall down. 
Ca-se-a, oar. 
E-ya-coon-dor, red. 
Ne-ya-oo-se, black. 



Mun-ja-no, yellow. [U-fa-je-re, four o'clock in the morning, 



Mane-mow-ete, green. 
Oo-choon-goo, bitter. 
M'-we-ve, thief. 
Tha-hid, witness. 
Oo-ma-que-ba, you stole it. 



576 



APPENDIX. 



Se-ya-o-na quanza, I did not see it 

before. 
A-ke-le, sense. 
,M'-cha-zoo, play. 
N'-na, I have. 
Oo-na, you have. 
An-na, he has. 

Hoo-na, are you ? or, have not you ? 
Coo-na, you have not. 
So-ma, read. 
Voom-be, dust. 
Moo-e-ne ma-na, which has. 
Oo-so, face. 

Ma-cone-da, poor, useless. 
Yem-bam-ba, thin. 
Na-na, thick. 
La-re-bo, pretty soon. 
Cha-voo, net. 
A-sa-ra, to lose in trade. 
Ma-ra-voo, hard fellow. 
Ma-go-pa, afraid. 
M'zed, old man. 
Da-ra-ja, stairs. 
N'you-ma, behind. 
M'ba-la, before. 
Oo-pan-da, side. 
Oo-pan-da-hoo, this side. 
Oo-pan-da wa-pe-lee, that side. 
Ta-fond, different. 
Ta-foo-na, chew. 
M'-ra-foo, tall. 
Hum-na, none. 

Ma-chin-jina, wounded to death. 
Hoo-na-ne-here, you will not say so. 
Ca-ra-tha, borrow. 
Copa-sha, lend. 
Boo-too-jee, loaf-sugar. 
Be-o-rum ta-coo-o-na sha, Fll show 

you. 
See-coo-o-n'a, I will not shoio you. 
Roo-de-za, return or send back. 
A-coo-na fara-ka, / haven't time. 
Moo-o-voo, noise. 
Na-we-wa, I owe. 
Wa-we-wa, you owe. 
A'-we-wa, he owes. 
A shoo-roo, duty 1 



Ma-ha-la ga-na, what place ? 

M'gee-nec, town. 

Foon-de-sha, to learn. 

Ta-noo, pill of chenum. 

Mo-she, smoke. 

Me-me-yan, 

Gwa-ba-re-ke, thank you. 

Oo-se-ma-gee, don't spill it. 

Ke-tab, printed book. 

Moo-da, minute. 

Qua-ka, home. 

Too-le-a, rug. 

Soo-he-re, aloes. 

Za-be-boo, grapes. 

N'-yo-ta, star. 

Ma-ving-oo, cloud. 

N'yon-a-ta, hair. 

N'go-te, mast. 

Fur-ma-le, yards. 

Me-te, tree. 

Chu-ma, iron. 

Poo-u, steel. 

Sha-ba, brass. 

San-cha, machine. 

N'-yo-a, shave. 

Da-voo, beard. 

Ma-ta, merchandise. 

Goo-ga, Zanzibar. 

Ca-de-re, a part. 

Goom-ba-na, quarrel, not friends. 

Quem-ba, sing. 

M'sha-ha-ra, wages. 

Oo-ma-me, thunder. 

Moo-re, lightning. 

Ka-ra-moo, feast. 

Too-ka-na, bud talk. 

Be-o, to run. 

'M-ka, wife. 

Ko-ho, soul. 

Soo-re-a, concubine. 

Me-ne, credit, trust. 

Coo-ze-ka, to bury the dead. 

Foo-ke-a, to bury money. 

Pan-da, to set out a tree. 

Sur-ma-la, carpenter. 

M'a-she, mason. 

M'hoo-ze-ma chu-ma, blacksmith. 



APPENDIX. 



577 



M'hoo-zee-wa-fether, silversmith. 

Go-do-ro, bed. 

Pe-ra, India-rubber. 

Coo-ha-de-le, to exchange, or swap. 

M'coo-ke, spear. 

Na-na'ze, pine-apple. 

Pa-ra, guana. 

Oo-ta-wa M'sha-ra, bow and arrows. 

M'co-no N'doe-voo, tiller. 

Ma-dan-ze, Persian oranges. 

Change-a, China oranges. 

Co-co, seed. 

Mow-oo-a, flower. 

Oon-ga, flour. 

N'ga-noo, wheat. 

Wan-ga, arrow-root. 

Ma-ra-she, M'zoo-ma-re, rose-water. 

Ma-foo-ta Stamboul, otto of rose, or 

Turkish oil. 
Co-po, bowl. 
Be-low-oo-re, tumbler. 
Ba-coo-de, mug. 
Ke-sa-ha-ne, small plate. 
Sa-ha-ne, large plate. 
Ke-ghe-koo, small spoon. 
M'e-co, large spoon. 
Rah-ha-ma-ne, chart. 
Cha-fee, to sneeze. 
Coo-n'go, to drink. 
Co-jo-a, pump ship. 
N' jo, come. 

Nenda come M'pe, go and give. 
Ma-ca-ma-ta-ya-he, how did you catch 

that? 
Coo-fa-fee, blocks. 
Ha-re-re, silk. 
Ma-zoo-re, handsome. 
Oo-ze, cotton, or twine. 
Be-re-ka, trunk. 
Ke-tara-ba, piece of cloth. 
Ta-sa-ma-oo-se an goo ka, look out 

and don't fall down. 
Thom, garlic. 
M'coong-oo, bunch. 
Shoe-hoo-le, plenty of business. 
Ma-voo-le, umbrella. 
A-la-ma, number. 



M'pe-a, new. 

Ke-za, dark. 

Koo-koo, old. 

Ha-na, he has not any. 

M'cha-na, noon. 

Pin-du-a, turn it over. 

Yan-go, mine. 

Se,I. 

Youn-do, hammer. 

N'gong-go, mallet. 

Len-ca, chisel. 

Fan-ye, fix or make. 

Ma-zan, scale. 

Mo-oren, bad. 

Me-me-tut-wa-he-k, I take this. 

Cooney, wood. 

Ma-tiva, take. 

Ke-ka-poo, basket. 

Yam-ve, mat. 

Pe-pa na-voo-yu, casks leak. 

An-de-ka, write. 

Wa-ke a happo, put it there. 

Wa-ke a happa, put it here. 

Qua-ne-o-fa-ne ka-ree, why don't you 

work ? 
Fan-ya-ka-za, go to work. 
Nen-de-he-ma, go quickly. 

Days of the Week. 

U-ma-ta-too, Monday 
U-ma-ne, Tuesday. 
U-ma-tu-no, Wednesday. 
Ul-him-ese, Thursday. 
Len-ma, Friday. 
De-ma-moose, Saturday. 
Due-ma-pe-le, Sunday. 

» 
Ma-kire-sha, finished. 
Sick, how easy ! 
Mus-ke-a, do you hear ? 
Go-ye-quan-za nish a-coola, wait till 

I finish my dinner. 
Ka-ka-ta-koo, sit down. 
Kas-a-gana, how much do you ask 1 
Go-ze, hides 
Voo-a, rain. 
Litta, bring. 

D 



578 



APPENDIX. 



Ya-ha se-ne, aboard the vessel. 

Moo-le-za, ask. 

Foon-goo-oo, key.. 

Ma-can-da, bag. 

Ma-foo-ta, oil. 

Ke-te, chain. 

Ha-la-foo, by-and-by. 

Ya-na, yesterday. 

Koo-tua, day after. 

Moon-ton, pillow-case. 

Ba-roat, powder. 

Ya-ha-za, ship. 

Youm-ba, house. 

Ma-zinga, cannon. 

Ma-no, teeth. 

Ba-da ancoo-na, not come yet. 

Ya-ka, yours. 

Fi-da, profit. 

Wa-cha-ka ve-ne,why do you laugh ? 

Se-na, / haven't any. 

Me-la-la, or Dic-e-ma, always. 

Coo-na-ne-ne, what's the matter ? 

Zide, more. 

Oo-ma, bite. 

Oo-se-pa-soo-e, don't tear it. 

Se-ta-ka, I don't want to. 

Oo-man-da, den. 

Hoo-coo-me-a, high. 

Coo-me-za, did it hurt ? 

Duff-ta-re, book (writing). 

Na-na am-a-choo-goo-a, who brought 

that! 
High-do-roo, never mind. 
Dew-a-le-ma-too-a, sunset. 
Don-a ha-le ja-too-a, sun is not set. 
Ha-ba-re-ga-na, what's the news ? 
Kee-sha, then. 
Ra-hese, cheap. 
Ye-a-noo-ka, smells. 
E-na-po-po, any time. 
Voo-ta, pull. 
Soo-koo-ma, push. 
Po-tare, last. 
Ye-a-to-ka whappee, where do you 

come from ? 
Coo-oo-ma, sore or aches. 
Ye-a-coo rohea, nearly. 



Wa-we-ya, due, or owe. 
Sec-ka-sec-de, accident. 
Washa-ta, light the lamp. 
Te-ma-ta, put out the lamp. 
Who-hea-fa, not yet dead. 
Hum-dea cha-too, not yet finished. 
Com-jewa, spread. 
Ta-ka, dirty. 

Coon-ja, double, or fold up. 
Sa-ha-ne, plate. 
Choo-coo-a, carry. 
M'la-va, drunk. 
Ga-le, dear. 
Num-na, sample. 
Fe-ne-ka, cover. 
M'we-ve, thief. 
Oo-ma-que-ba, you stole it. 
Ha-pa-na-m'-too, nobody. 
Coo-poo-tare, lost. 

M'goo-am a-ne-pa oo-le-me Wa-ne- 
ne, God gave me a tongue for ivhat ? 
Zoon-goo-sha, turn it round. 
See-me-ka, stand it up. 
Soo-ma-ke, fish. 
Me-me-na, pour it out. 
Cut-e-cut-e, middle. 
Pach-a, double, or two. 
Ma-san-goo, brass-ware. 
E-ma-jar, full. 
N'ga, outside. 
Poon-goo-sa, take out. 
To-sha, enough. 
N'za, fly. 

Ke-pa-to, half bag. 
T'fa-tha-le, if you please. 
Pa-la-pa-la, same place. 
Wa-kam bala, keep separate. 
M'ze-goo, bundle. 
Men-da, cockroach. 
To-bu-ka-ra, snuffbox. 
Da-na-te, writing-desk. 
Ve-ring-oo, round. 
Ta-noose, lantern, or entry lamp. 
Coo-ta-e-re, circumcise. 
Ke-lem-ba, turban. 
Ke-goo-roo, lame. 
Ke-do-le, finger. 



APPENDIX. 



579 



M'goo, foot. 

Pa-d'ya, leg. 

Daw-moo, lip. 

Cho-ro-ro, soft. 

Gov-moo, hard. 

A-ke-dar, head cooly. 

Nenda coo-si-de-a, go and help. 

Ca-ba, whore. 

M'ganga, doctor. 

Mamoo, preacher. 

Pemba, ivory. 

Dua, sun. 

Mazee, moon. 

Maka, year. 

Mana-noo papo, useless talk (wind 

talk.) 
Ze-o-ma, ache. 
Quanza, before. 
Kee-sha, after. 
Ke-o, that. 
Wa-ka, keep. 
Na-jew-a, I know that. 
N'de-ric, that is it. 
Ra-ze-bo, try. 

Ye-a-ma-za maramo, stop that talk. 
Cha-goo-a, garble {pick copal). 
Sa-fa, clean. 
Coo-coo, dirty. 

Now-om-ba, I wish, or / hope. 
Qua-la, true. 
Twa-ka, hoist. 
Tu-a, lower. 

Na-tha-ne-heveo, I think so. 
Co-me a he, same as this. 
Ca-na, the same. 
Ma-cho-ka, tired. 
Soo-a-za-koo Se-ma-ma, I can't stand 

up. 
Sa-ba-boo ne-na, what is the reason 1 
Ca-le, hot. 
Ba-re-de, cold. 

He-sa-boo, figures, or account. 
Go-ra, piece (30 yards of cloth). 
Rup-ta, bale {of cloth). 
Ha-re, sweat. 



Ta-ka, do you want ? 

Wa-to-ka whappey, where do you 
come from ? 

Mo-e-ta, call. 

Se-pen-da, I don't like it. 

Ke-ja-na, boy. . 

Coo-o-sha, wash. 

M'pe-she, cook. 

Wen-da na-na ne, whom are you go- 
ing with ? 

Ca-voo, dry. 

She-ka, hold it. 

Ak-we-ta, he calls you, or you arc 
called. 

Mu-e-sho, the last. 

Coo-za, sell. 

A-ta-ka, asks, the price. 

New-new-a, buy. 

Ha-too-fa ne-bea chara, we can not 
trade. 

Goomy (Banyan), whale. 

Y'hazzee piga M'goomy (Banyan), 

a whaler, or " ship that strikes 

whales." 
Mazene (Arabic), name of church crier. 
Smilla (Arabic), take care ! 
Bona (Sowhelian), the name by lohich 

slaves address their masters. 
Malim (Sowhelian), schoolmaster, or 

mate of a vessel. 
M'goo (Sowhelian), God. 
Alia (Arabic), God. 
Shatan (Sowhelian), devil. 
Matonee (Sowhelian), hell. 
Paponee (Sowhelian), heaven. 
Monano tamo (Sowhelian), flattery, 

or " sweet talk." 
N'Googa (Sowhelian), form of Zan- 
zibar. 
Mareema (Sowhelian), coast opposite 

Zanzibar. 
N'Guzzeeja (Sowhelian), name of 

Grand Comoro Island. 
Bookin (Sowhelian), Madagascar. 



530 



APPENDIX. 



Numerals. 

N.B. No specimens of the Sowhelian or Ambolambo numerals have, I 
believe, ever before been published. 

The above list of words and phrases in common use among the Sowhe- 
lians is also the first that has yet appeared. 






Arabic. 


Sowhelian. 


Hindoostanee. 


Banyan. 


Ambolambo. 


1 Wahed. 


Moya. 


Yeik. 


Okelo. 


Rakee. 


2 Thineen. 


Tatoo. 


Do. 


Pa. 


Rone. 


3 Thalatha. 


N'nee. 


Teen. 


Teen. 


Mamoko. 


4 Aroba. 


Tanoo. 


Char. 


Char. 


Efagee. 


5 Humpsa. 


Beele. 


Pauch. 


Pauch. 


Fifo. 


6 Sitta. 


Sitta. 


Cha. 


Cha. 


Charta. 


7 Sebba. 


Sebla. 


Saat. 


Saat. 


Tetoo. 


8 Themaina. 


Nanee. 


Aat. 


Aat. 


Valoo. 


9 Tessa. 


Kenda. 


No. 


Neend. 


Seene. 


10 Asharra. 


Kooma. 


Dus. 


Chim. 


Fooloo. 



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HISTORY OF LOST GREENLAND, 35 cents. 

HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2 vols., 70 cents 

HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS, 2 vols., 70 cents 

XENOPHON'S HISTORY ; translated by Spelman, 85 cents. 



College & School Books. 

ANTHON'S (Charles) LATIN LESSONS, 90 cents. 

LATIN PROSE COMPOSITION, 90 cents. 

LATIN PROSODY AND METRE, 90 cents. 

LATIN VERSIFICATION, 90 cents. 

ZUMPT'S LATIN GRAMMAR, 90 cents. 

COMMENTARIES OF CjESAR, $1 40. 

^NEID OF VIRGIL. English Notes, $2 00 

ECLOGUES AND GEORGICS OF VIRGIL 

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SALLUST. With English Notes, 88 cents. 

HORACE. With English Notes, $1 75. 

FIRST GREEK LESSONS, 90 cents. 

GREEK PROSE COMPOSITION, 90 cents. 

GREEK PROSODY AND METRE, 90 cents. 

GREEK GRAMMAR, 90 cents. 

NEW GREEK GRAMMAR, 90 cents. 



6 VALUABLE NEW AND STANDARD WORKS 

ANTHON'S (Charles) HOMER. With English Notes, $1 50. 

GREEK READER, FROM THE GERMAN OP 

Jacobs, $1 75. 

ANABASIS OF XENOPHON. 

GREEK AND ENGLISH LEXICON. 

■ CLASSICAL DICTIONARY, $4 75. 

SMITH'S DICTIONARY of GREEK and Ro- 
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The same work, abridged. 

BENNETT'S (J. A.) SYSTEM OF BOOK-KEEPING, $1 50. 

BOUCHARLAT'S ELEMENTARY TREATISE ON MECHANICS, $2 25. 

BOYD'S ELEMENTS OF RHETORIC, 50 cents. 

CAMPBELL'S PHILOSOPHY OF RHETORIC, $1 25. 

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GRISCOM'S ANIMAL MECHANISM AND PHYSIOLOGY, 45 cents. 

HAZEN'S PROFESSIONS AND TRADES. 81 Engravings, 75 cents. 

HEMPEL'S GRAMMAR OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE, $1 75 

HENRY'S HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY, 90 cents. 

KANE'S ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY, $2 00. 

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LEWIS'S PLATONIC THEOLOGY, &c, $1 50. 

MAURY'S PRINCIPLES OF ELOQUENCE, 50 cents. 

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NOEL AND CHAPSAL'S NEW SYSTEM OF FRENCH GRAMMAR, 
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PARKER'S AIDS TO ENGLISH COMPOSITION, $1 00. 

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ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY, 75 cents. 

■ ELEMENTS OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, 75 cents. 

SCHMUCKER'S MENTAL PHILOSOPHY, $1 00. 

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*** Many other works in extensive use as text-books in schools may be 

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Essayists, Belles-JLettres, &c. 

ADDISON'S COMPLETE WORKS, 3 vols., $5 00. 

SELECTIONS FROM THE SPECTATOR, 2 vols., 90 cents. 

BACON AND LOCKE'S ESSAYS, 45 cents. 

BROUGHAM'S PLEASURES AND ADVANTAGES OF SCIENCE, 

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BURKE'S COMPLETE WORKS, 3 vols., $5 00. 

ESSAY ON THE SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL, 75 cents. 

WISDOM AND GENIUS ILLUSTRATED BY EXTRACTS 

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CHESTERFIELD' S LETTERS TO HIS SON, and other Writings, 

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COLERIDGE'S LETTERS, CONVERSATIONS, AND RECOLLEC- 
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, SPECIMENS OF THE TABLE-TALK OF, 12mo, 70 cents. 

COMBE'S PHYSIOLOGY APPLIED TO HEALTH AND MENTAL 

Education, 45 cents. 
DICK ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY BY THE DIFFUSION 

of Knowledge, 18mo, 45 cents. 
DEMOSTHENES' ORATIONS ; translated by Leland, 2 vols., 85 cents. 
DR"Y DEN'S COMPLETE WORKS, $3 75. 
DUTY (the) of AMERICAN WOMEN TO THEIR COUNTRY. 38«°«»- 



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LECTURES TO YOUNG MEN, 45 cents. 

LAMB'S ESSAYS OF ELIA, LETTERS, POEMS, &c.,$2 00. 
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MARTINEAU. HOW TO OBSERVE, 43 cents. 
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MONTGOMERY'S LECTURES ON POETRY AND LITERATURE, 

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MUDIE'S GUIDE TO THE OBSERVATION OF NATURE, 45 cents. 
NEELE'S (Henry) LITERARY REMAINS, $1 00. 
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POTTER AND EMERSON'S SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOLMASTER, 

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PRESCOTT'S BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL MISCELLANIES, 

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SMITH'S (H. J.) PLAN OF INSTRUCTION AND HISTORY OF ED- 

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INFLUENCE OF LIBERAL STUDIES, 25 cents. 

■ INFLUENCE OF MORAL CAUSES, 15 cents. 

WIRT'S (William) LETTERS OF THE BRITISH SPY, 60 cents. 



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BELL. THE HAND, ITS MECHANISM, &c, 60 cents. 

BIRDS. NATURAL HISTORY OF, 45 cents. 

BRANDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF SCIENCE AND ART, $4 00. 

BREWSTER'S LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC, 45 cents. 

DANIELL'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, 69 cents. 

DICK'S PRACTICAL ASTRONOMY, 50 cents. 

DRAPER'S TREATISE ON THE CHEMICAL ORGANIZATION OF 
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ELEPHANT (the). NATURAL HISTORY OF, 45 cents. 

EULER'S LETTERS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY: edited by Brew- 
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GOOD'S BOOK OF NATURE, $1 25. 

HASWELL'S ENGINEERS' and MECHANICS' POCKET-BOOK, $1 50. 

HERSCHEL'S DISCOURSE ON THE STUDY OF NATURAL Phi- 
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HIGGINS'S PHYSICAL CONDITION AND PHENOMENA OF THE 
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HUMBOLDT'S COSMOS ; A SURVEY of the PHYSICAL HISTORY 
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INSECTS. NATURAL HISTORY OF, 90 cents. 

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LEE'S ELEMENTS OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF 
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MOSELEY'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF MECHANICS; edited by Renwick, 
45 cents. 

MUDIE'S GUIDE TO THE OBSERVATION OF NATURE, 45 cents 

QUADRUPEDS. NATURAL HISTORY OF, 45 cents 



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RENWICK'S FIRST PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY 

With Questions, 75 cents. 
■ FIRST PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY. With Ques- 

tions« 75 ccntSt 

■ APPLICATIONS OF MECHANICS TO PRACTICAL 

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UNCLE PHILIP'S AMERICAN FOREST, 35 cents. 

TOOLS AND TRADES AMONG ANIMALS, 35 cents 

VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES USED FOR FOOD, 45 cents. 
WHITE'S NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. Plates, 45 cents. 
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6'ERCROMBIE'S PHILOSOPHY OF THE MORAL FEELLnGS, 40 cts 
ON THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS, 45 cents. 



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DYMOND'S PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY : edited by G. Bush, $1 38. 
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MARTINEAU'S LETTERS ON MESMERISM, 5 cents. 
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MILL'S SYSTEM OF LOGIC, RATIOCINATIVE AND INDUCTIVE, 

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TOWNSHEND'S FACTS IN MESMERISM. With Plates, 75 cents. 
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DE KAY'S SKETCHES OF TURKEY IN 1831-2, $2 00. 
DICKENS'S AMERICAN NOTES FOR GENERAL CIRCULATION. 

10 cents. 



OCT 1 2 I 950 






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